HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

Happy New Year to one and all! 2008 has finally come as 2007 has now become a memory and a happy one at that for me. I hope that for the rest of you, your thoughts of this past year are joyous happy ones as well. Seeing as how I have been preoccupied with work and the holidays, it is once again time to play catch up of the passed three months. Please grab a chair and kick your feet up because this could take a little while ;p

October was a bit of a blur for me because there really was so much going on that I felt like I was running from one event to the next. The first two weekends of the month were dedicated to the ending of the Off Broadway show I was fortunate enough to be a part of (Angry Young Women in Low rise Jeans with High Class Issues). The show closed on a really good note for me leaving me wanting more of the stage to be honest. I have to say thank you to the lot of you who were able to come out and not only support me but also laugh along at the rather unusual roles I had taken on. It meant quite a bit to see so many familiar faces after the show especially knowing that the last weekend of its run was the exact same weekend as the Guiding Light Fan Club weekend. We all had so much going on that I’m sure everyone was pretty zonked at the conclusion of it. Following the Fan Club weekend was the October “Find Your Light” event. This event coincided with “NY Cares Day” which for those of you who aren’t aware of this day, it is a day where volunteers band together and tackle various projects throughout the city in an attempt to beautify the Big Apple. This year, I believe the total number of volunteers that came out throughout the entire city was somewhere over 8,000! It was a great day overall and we (the Guiding Light crew) really had a fantastic time again with our work and all of the fans who came out to work alongside side us. The only downside to the day I will say was getting ambushed by Frank Dicopolous and his daughter Olivia with paint. By the way, never let paint dry on your skin ESPECIALLY if you’re a guy with hairy arms and legs. I was in the shower for over 30 minutes when I got home trying to scrub that crap off and I ended up ripping more hair out than the water washed off. I had patchy arms and legs of missing hair for the next month….thanks FRANK!

Anyways, to wrap up October we decided to throw a Halloween party. We decided throwing a Halloween bash instead of paying to party at some club where people would be pushing and shoving in a small room with no air and tons of costumes and makeup coming off everywhere would be a smarter idea. So once we decided on a theme for the party we got to work on piecing it all together. With spider webs hung, creepy crawlies all over the room, red lights and green creating an eerie glow, a witch’s cauldron with skeleton hands climbing out of a smoking punch (bought dry ice) with waterproof orange lights illuminating it, food galore cooking and or baking, specialty cocktails ready to be enjoyed, and Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein playing, how could a great night not be had. As for the costume this year, I went as a Robin Hood character. It was actually a pretty fun choice. Light weight, easy to move in and giving me a kind of Errol Flynn demeanor (yes, you may laugh at that), I was ready for the guests. The night turned out to be a great success amongst our friends and we in turn got to see some pretty creative costumes ourselves. So what I am alluding to by telling you all this is that I’d love to hear some of your Halloween stories and costume ideas if you are so bold. Can be a quick note or a longwinded response like mine are always, LOL!

Moving now into November, work slowed down for me which was a nice change but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t anything for me to do. I was asked to carry the “Outstanding Drama” Emmy to Salt Lake City, Utah to surprise a lucky fan in our traveling Emmy contest. This trip had to be one of the most random trips for me to be honest. Not because of the reason for it or meeting the woman who won, Marjan, and her wonderful family. It was random because of the scenery, my two office friends Pablo and Jay who went with me, the brand new Hummer we were given (HOLLA), the exclusive dining club we ate at the night we arrived which cost like $7 dollars to join, the wild radio songs we were rocking out to in the car, and the intense in-flight trivia game that we played both on the way out and back. This was such a fun excursion that took place over just two days and so memorable that every time Pablo, Jay and I hang out at work we always laugh about the trip.

The only other big event in November was Thanksgiving for me. I was down in Richmond this year and again was way too glutinous at the dinner table. If I keep eating that same way I’m pretty sure that I will be the Turkey next year.

December was a very slow month for me at work, I literally worked one day and had the rest of the time to prepare for Christmas. No matter how many limitations you put on the Holiday as far as gift giving, somehow we always manage to overshoot them by either a bit or a long shot! Before getting into that though I want to talk about the final “Find Your Light” event. Ricky Paul Golden, Crystal Chappell, and myself all went down to Baltimore, Maryland to help sort gifts and disperse to families in need this Christmas. It was run through the Salvation Army and I have to say that everything went without a glitch. Those in charge of organizing and maintaining constant supervision of the volunteers and sometimes the actors when needed (not naming names) really had this project air tight. We all came in knowing the importance of this particular project, that it was the last one of the year for us and that we really needed to work hard and quick. I’m not sure most people understand how difficult and overwhelming this undertaking was. There literally were huge wooden containers that resembled trash dumpsters in size that were filled with gifts that needed to be emptied. In the center of the room were rows and rows of bunk style shelving units (3 shelves high) that held about 25 packing box sized boxes sided by side. The bunk styled shelves ran the entire length of the room, about 30 rows deep. This was a huge depot and we cleared the place of all gifts, getting each box filled with at least a few gifts. As we finished the project, everyone gathered to do our customary wrap up pictures and video and at this point we were notified that despite our wonderful efforts there were still going to be families in need. In the Baltimore area, there were still1200 families that weren’t going to receive a gift box for their family and children. Now before going down on this trip I had gone out and purchased two gifts: action figures for a little boy and a “Bratz” doll for a little girl. Let me just say that those doll’s are scandalous in dress! The only reason I picked one up was because I found one that was fully clothed in winter garb. Anyways, after getting this news about the families still in need, Ricky, Crystal, and I all gave in total a little over $1000 dollars to try and help purchase last minute gifts for those in need. I know it wasn’t much but it was something to try and help with a last minute push seeing as how the boxes had to go out in the next 3 days. As we left that night, our whole group felt much better having done a really good deed especially one that was going to help bring smiles to so many families this holiday season. After returning to New York for a few days it was now time to head back down to Virginia to do time with the family. The 21st was my mom’s birthday so we went and took mom and dad out to a nice seafood place in Old Town, Alexandria. Dad and I wrestled verbally about paying the bill but I eventually won and was able to treat them (he didn’t put up that much of fight btw). After her birthday, we headed down to Richmond where it was time to wrap and assemble gifts for the little nieces and nephews. Now for all you parents out there or Uncles/Aunts, you already know what a pain in the butt assembling toys can be. We do it though because the look on the youngsters face Christmas morning is all the reward we want for our time. So there we all are, Christmas Eve, with two Power Wheels in pieces waiting to be put together with only 7 hours to do it in and manage to get some sleep before the madness of tearing wrapping paper off ensued . Well after many pinched fingers and a few obscenities the two gifts were literally ready to role and we still had 4 hours to sleep before the kids got up. That morning I was woken up by a 3year old (my niece) launching herself across the air mattress and onto my chest…MAN that feels good first thing in the morning! As we all finally collected ourselves and came into the living room, we noticed that the kids had already picked out the biggest coolest toys, the Power Wheels. That was at least something that made us all smile though looking at the time was a reminder of the lack of sleep we had. After doing Christmas Eve with my family and morning, it was time to head over to Sarah’s family’s place to do Christmas there. Everyone was very ready to go by the time we came over and obviously so were we. After a few hours of unwrapping gifts and everyone laughing and “ooooo’ing” or “awwww’ing” over each person’s gift(s), I came across a gift that was sent by heaven above! Now yes, this will be very materialistic of me and not dealing with the true meaning of the holiday itself but this was a pretty cool gift. Sarah had bought an Xbox360 for me and completely surprised me with it. This was something that I had wanted to purchase for some time now but didn’t due to other financial obligations as well as keeping my materialistic wants in check (not easy btw). I have to say that since setting it up, I’m totally in love and it’s as addicting as everyone says.

New Year’s came and went pretty quickly and quietly for us. Went to dinner with friends and was back home by about 11pm. By the time midnight came around I was already pretty tired but stayed awake for Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Celebration. I have to say that it was good to see him hosting again but he also just won’t be the same after the stroke. I think it best to keep the show’s name the same to honor him but let him retire from doing it. Anyways, by 12:30 am I was in bed and actually thankful I didn’t spend anywhere from $150 to $300 for a ticket to some packed party with nothing but finger foods, rude drunk people, and no place to sit. It was a nice way to start the 2008 but I have to be honest, I haven’t really made any resolutions. I guess I just don’t feel that they are necessary you know. Why make a promise to either do or not do something just because it’s tradition? If you really wanted to do it, shouldn’t it be done when you’re ready regardless of day?

So those were my holidays but I’d love to hear about all of yours! If you have any wild and crazy stories, please share them keeping in mind that anyone will be able to read them and even perhaps laugh or relate to your family, lol.

Happy New Year’s to you all and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

SO FAR, SO GOOD

It has been two weeks now since my last post and quite a few things have been in motion. Everything from my obvious work at “The Light” to the past two successful weekends of “Angry Young Women…”, the surprise visit of my family and extended at one of my performances this past weekend and the upsetting loss of my beloved Washington Redskins on Sunday (many tears were shed). I guess I could summarize my life as a complete rollercoaster since my last post.

Things over at 523 West 57th street (the home of Guiding Light) are still moving along swimmingly! I haven’t been fired yet (lol) and the Coop and Ashlee storyline is stronger than ever. I know that sometimes it seems like the storyline is in some sort of a holding pattern and that it may frustrate some of you who want to know when that next step may take place in their budding relationship. To this I say that both Caitlin and I feel the same way. We only know up to what is printed in the next week’s script so we are just as anxious as the rest of you. I will say though that both Caitlin and I always make it a point to enjoy every moment that we share on the screen both in tears and in laughter and from what I’ve read thus far it shows.

On another note, I’m happy to say that we have a few familiar faces returning to Springfield that have already started taping and will be airing in the next two to three weeks. To some of you, you may already know who I’m referring to but to those who haven’t checked it out in the magazines and CHEATED, you’re in for a very pleasant surprise I guarantee.

“I am going to express an opinion that is probably not going to be very popular among JD fans but I have to tell you where I have been in order for you to appreciate where I am now. In the beginning of the whole Ashley-Coop story I was not convinced that this storyline would work. I admit I thought it was a sweet story however. I was not sure how it would work out. I still had a few reservations about the storyline until I saw the episode that aired on 9/17/07. I can now say without any hesitation that I see the connection between the two characters. I think the turning point for me was the casual nature of the kisses and tenderness that both actors were able to pull off flawlessly. The scene that I liked the best was the one on the “balcony”; it was very sweet, so now I am believer. Please keep up the good work!” -Raiden

And now to the other project in my life that has been quite an undertaking but a complete joy. “Angry Young Women in Low Rise Jean with High Class Issues” has just completed its second weekend with me as a part of the cast and has not been cancelled, lol!

First, let me just say that I have been bitten by the stage bug and have acquired a huge respect for those that give an absolutely hypnotizing and magnetic performance day in and day out on the stage. I had become so accustomed to saying “let me try that again” or “I can do better if I can get a second or even third go on that scene”. When you step foot on that stage it is do or die time and THERE ARE NO SECOND CHANCES to capture your audience. With all this being said though I have to also say that each performance isn’t always smooth sailing, problems/accidents do pop up from time to time regardless of how familiar you may be with the material. Yes, I have experienced a few surprises on stage with either flubbed lines or faulty props, even MISSING props. This is where the joy of live theatre lies though in how you accept this dilemma and transition through it so that the audience never has a clue. One of the most comically common occurrences in the production involves a rose that with every performance either gradually wilts, explodes at any given moment, completely snaps in half or finally and rarely survives the scene by a miracle. Yes, this prop belongs to me, the one actor with the least amount of stage experience. At first, I thought this was some sort of cruel trick that the cast always plays on the new guy…give him a faulty prop and see what he does. Ha Ha Ha people, real funny! Ok, jokes over, I’ve made it two full weekends now so please pass the rose on to someone else. I could honestly go on forever about the ins and outs of the show but I will spare you all and just let you read the review and interview that was posted on “Broadway World” after my first weekend. The website is www.broadwayworld.com and all you have to do is type my name (John Driscoll) into the “search” box and it should bring up the article. Have a peek and let me know what ya’ll think but be gentle please, lol.

So as I said before, my parents came up this past weekend to see the show. I was very excited obviously because they were coming to support me but also because less than a month after her surgery, my mom was willing to travel up here and start walking. She says that she feels great and that she’s lost weight already which is excellent but I knew that we still couldn’t overdo it with her. Having her in the audience that Saturday night inspired me so much that I just felt free and open with all of my movements and gestures which allowed me to give what I thought was a kick-ass performance. I did warn them prior to the show though that it would be vulgar and suggestive but somehow even with the warning I felt slightly weird walking out on stage half naked knowing they were sitting there. After the show concluded and I had gathered my things to meet up with them outside the theatre director, Matt, pulled me aside and said “John, it's so nice that all your family and friends came out to support you like this. I hope they enjoyed themselves.”

I looked at Matt with one of those expressions that says, “what the hell are you talking about?” I said “Well, I’m sure that MY PARENTS had a lovely time,” and that I would pass on his thoughts to them. So as I walked out of the theatre, opening the door onto the west village street, I saw all these familiar faces that were staring back at me and in unison they shouted “HEY JOHN, SURPRISE!”

Deer in the headlights must have been the expression because they all immediately began to laugh and encircle me. After a few moments of hugs and congratulations there on the street we moved the crowd over to a Mexican restaurant and kept the party going with food, drink and laughter (mostly at me). It was such a welcomed surprise to have them all there though I didn’t technically say anything to them about the show. They found out the details through my blogging and went to the show’s website and ordered tickets but didn’t say a word to me or to my parents. Regardless, everyone had a wonderful time and I’m sure this will be yet another memory that they will bring up at our annual family gatherings, talking about how my New York stage debut included me half naked in a towel that almost fell off with a rose that exploded on stage….good times!

Now, moving from the arts to another form of entertainment that is near and dear to my heart, I must chat about the NFL, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, it was a most upsetting Sunday for me when the unbeaten Washington Redskins fell to the NY Giants. All I can say after watching the game is that it was some sloppy football on the Redskins part. Not to say that there weren’t some good plays but they just got jumpy and perhaps even lazy/overly confident and began to make stupid plays and rack up amateur penalties. When you dominate the first half of the game and then finish up the second half with 17 unanswered points against you and lose, there are some serious issues to address with not just the players but the coaching staff too. Let me preface what I’m saying here by the way by stating that in NO WAY am I any less of a Redskins fan after a game like this but since I do love the team wholeheartedly, I feel that I can say/question these things.

Jason Campbell is the starting quarterback this year for the team and although it’s his third season in the NFL, he just started to get some game time at the end of last season. This I am guessing still qualifies him as a newbie to the position which means that he will ultimately make beginners mistakes. I have to say though that when you’re making a multimillion dollar salary, you are being paid to not make mistakes let alone beginners ones at that. Campbell has a great arm and a strong pair of running legs which he underutilizes from what I’ve seen. He could truly be a great threat in the league if he gets a little more confident in his own abilities and stays out of his own head using the god given talent that he has. So, to wrap this topic up, I will chalk this loss up to a lesson in humility for the Skins to not get cocky but to play smarter and not underestimate another team’s abilities no matter their season win/loss record.

I feel so much better after getting this all off my chest, hope it didn’t bore ya’ll!

It’s now Friday the 28th and I have to get ready for tonight’s show so I will be signing off but please take a few moments to check out the above website for reviews of the show and also if you’re interested in coming to it, just go to www.angryyoungwomen.net and you may purchase tickets. Have a great weekend everybody and talk to ya’ll next week.

“I was with Khouree this past weekend for the show. You were fabulous. Thanks for chatting with us for a few minutes. I'm glad to see that your mom is doing much better. I have to tell you that it was nice to see that your family surprised you. That's was very nice and it show's how much they and you appreciate each other. Thanks for the fabulous entertainment on Saturday night. I have told my friends that will be in the city in a few weeks that they have to check out the play.” -Amy

UPDATES....

Hey again everyone! I hope all is well with you and yours and that the end of summer is finding you all in good spirits. Fall is just around the corner, kids are back to school, football is back in full swing (YES!), and depending on which part of the country you live in leaves are already starting to change color. Speaking of changes, there have been a few that have recently affected me personally.

I recently returned home to spend some time with my family as I enjoy doing every-so-often, but this time it was for a different reason. Not to divulge too much information due to its personal content, my trip was in support of my mother who had a rather routine procedure (surgery) done on her. Now I find it funny that doctors refer to this procedure as “routine” to their patients. It may be that (routine) to them but certainly not to the patient. Obviously my mother was very nervous about going under the knife and so the entire family rallied around her to give their support and love in her time of fear and need. My uncle (my mom’s brother) flew out from California, my sister flew in from England with her son, my brother came up from Richmond, Virginia with his family and I flew down from New York to spend about a week with her leading up to the surgery. Just this act alone of getting the family together was enough to make her weep seeing us all together as well as allowing her to handle the operation more confidently.

I will fast forward a little now just to spare ya’ll some details;p

Mom pulled through the operation like a champ! Within hours she was ready to see all of us who had been waiting for her and to get the good news of her “routine” procedure. She was still groggy from the anesthesia but coherent enough to sustain a conversation with each of us until we had to let her sleep. On a light note, I knew she was already back to her old self when I was saying goodbye to her alone (I had to head to the airport to come home) and she whispered “my throat hurts like a B*&$h! If that one statement didn’t sum up her attitude of where she was, how she felt, and what she wanted to do, I don’t know what would have, lol! I am happy to report that I have spoken with her everyday since then and she’s doing great.

The other change that I want to speak about is I have decided to tackle the New York stage. I have decided to pick-up a second project in addition to Guiding Light. I recently signed a contract with a theatre company to do a four week run of an Off-Broadway show called “Angry Young Women in Low Rise Jeans with High Class Issues”.

“The Players Theatre” on McDougal Street is the location and my run with the show will be from the 13th of September until the 7th of October. There is a chance that if all goes well I may continue longer with the show but at this point that’s my contracted time-frame. The show itself is comprised of a series of monologues and short scenes which were all created by Matt Murillo. The show is predominately driven by the female characters but uses men as the stereotypical well intentioned but poor delivering individuals. The situations may be extreme and the content may be vulgar and unacceptable to some but that is what makes it fun. There is something refreshing about stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking on character roles that are the complete opposite of who you are as a person. Although I am terrified of doing this I am also very excited at the chance to get up on stage. The cast has been absolutely wonderful in welcoming me and patient in catching me up on the blocking and rhythm of the show. During a recent rehearsal I actually had my first accident which although embarrassing I will share anyways. I was in the middle of a scene using a prop awaiting my cue to give my next line when the prop got away from me and smacked me in the face or rather gave me an impressive uppercut much like in a boxing match which left me momentarily dazed. I hoped that although it was a rehearsal no one had seen what I had just done! It was one of those moments that are caught on America’s Funniest Home Videos where the idiot in the background does something stupid that pulls the focus of the scene and no one forgets. Let me just say that I DID NOT miss my cue and continued the scene until its completion where I then proceeded to keel over in pain while laughing at myself. For those of you who decided to come see this production TRUST ME, that will not be part of the scene so don’t expect that to happen twice. I will keep ya’ll updated with the progress of this new endeavor and perhaps maybe even see a few familiar faces after the show. Please think happy thoughts for me not to screw up or even trip, they would be greatly appreciated.

I think for now that about wraps it up for me. I thank all of you who have returned to comment on my page and again I reiterate that I will be regular with my entries. I hope that your summers were filled with fun, laughter, friends and family. If they weren’t, let me say my prayers are with you and yours. Until my next entry…

GUESS WHO'S BACK!!

SURPRISE…. guess who’s back to pick up where he left off over a YEAR AGO! I know that many of you will not believe that I will be back on a regular blogging basis, saying things like “sure”, “whatever you say”, or “I’ll believe it when I see it”. So I got a little sidetracked but things are much better now and I have quite a lot to talk about.

Just as a quick recent teaser, I went to the Constantine (from American Idol and Bold and the Beautiful) album release party at the club “Stereo” here in the city, met Lance Bass (from Nsync), had a wild and semi frightening dance off with Robert Bogue (A.C. Mallet), and had an opportunity to work with a really great semi-new character “Roc Hoover” (Mark Schlereth).

Mark is a former NFL player who had the fortune of playing for the Denver Broncos as well as the Washington Redskins (which is way more important as I am a Skins fan). As far as more details, that’s going to have to wait just a tad longer…BUT NOT MUCH!

I hope that all of you who once enjoyed reading my regular entries find your way back here and pick up where we both left off. Please keep your comments coming as well as the funny stories too. I try and incorporate comments from everyone in my entries so perhaps yours might just be the next one I choose. I hope everyone is in good spirits and as always I wish you the best.

Until next time, have a good one ya’ll!

VIRGINIA BOUND!

Hey everyone, I’m back! I know that's a total surprise seeing that I’m posting again and I’m sure that ya’ll are expecting a very lengthy entry filled with fun adventures dealing with the Daytime Emmy Awards and great moments around the GL set here and around town. I will be getting to that shortly but this entry is about an even MORE EXCITING EVENT that’s coming up shortly and it's a total CAN’T MISS EVENT!

It’s that time again for the CBS “SUPERSTAR WEEKEND” down at Paramount’s Kings Dominion in Richmond, Virginia. The exact date that this will take place is Saturday the 10^th of June and Sunday the 11^th. That’s right, we are not only extending the event from one to two days this year but guess what??? CBS is bringing along “As the World Turns” too this year. Two shows this time means double the days, double the fun, double the amount of performers from your favorite network, double the amount of actors to meet, and maybe even perhaps double the amount of trouble to get into LOL! I have to let ya’ll know that we (both CBS shows) are already so excited about coming down again especially after the GREAT experience and WARM welcome we received last year from everyone. For all of you who did go to this event last year, you know exactly what I am talking about. For you newcomers or those on the fence about going, you need to go and experience what a great time it will be! CBS is doing the exact same format as was done last year but I have been assured that when it comes to the meet and greets/autograph signings, things will be a lot smoother and the actors will be more accessible. Now that I think about things, CBS and Paramount’s Kings Dominion are just giving MORE all around.

On a personal note, Virginia is my hometown as some of you know, so you can imagine how excited I am to be going back down again. Here’s where I really need your help! I have been telling my friends from ATWT how much fun this event was and hyping up how much there is to do down there and I would hate to disappoint my friends and even my colleagues here from the “LIGHT”. I would love to have as many of you as possible not only show up either day if not both days, but tell your friends to come too and just have a blast with us, the more the merrier! CBS and Paramount is giving more so it would be great for all of you to do the same…all you have to do is just show up, LOL! For more information about this great weekend adventure (or perhaps getaway for some) just go to www.cbs.com, click on the daytime icon and follow the prompts to either show (ATWT of GL). You’ll find a site devoted to just this “SUPERSTAR WEEKEND” with all the details and even some pictures from last year's event. For those of you traveling a great distance for this, there are plenty of Hotels near to the park so it won’t be a problem for accommodations to stay the night if that’s what you’re hoping to do.

Hope to see ya’ll there and more Blogs to come!

VIDEO KILLED THE TELEVISION STAR?

Check out my exclusive video blog at CBS.com! (http://www.cbs.com/daytime/gl/#)

DEAR JOHN LETTER

I must first start this Blog off by saying that “yes” I did survive this pasT St. Patrick’s Day here in NYC. The reason I say that is because I was hanging out with Mr. Mayhem himself, Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan). After work, a group of us got together at a local pub around the corner from the studio to have a pint and celebrate this most joyous holiday. It was a great deal of fun and we kept the party going until pretty early in morning, if you can imagine.

On another note, the storylines here at the “Light” have been getting really good. Filled with backstabbing, lust, hope, trials and forgiveness, everyone here has really been putting out some amazing work. As I said before, the Jonathan and Coop characters were going to have some interactions coming up and boy, have they! I‘m sure that you, the viewers, won’t be disappointed with how action packed and heated they are! Coop and Jonathan aren’t the only ones getting into it though, Lizzie and Ava start to swap fighting words and punches over Coop (two women fighting over one man…I love it) and the outcome is so sweet! Geez, there is so much I could talk about but I don’t want to necessarily give it all away, LOL!

Another event that just happened was a fun photo shoot that involved Ava, Lizzie, Coop, and Jonathan. Let me just say that Michelle Ray Smith (Ava) looked absolutely stunning in every picture. When we had to partner up, I felt like I was just furniture in the shot with her. As we started to get into the shoot, the photographer was really liking what he saw and was giving us some really great direction, so the pictures I’m sure turned out really hot. At one point Michelle was on a table with me between her legs, leaning in, creating a really sensual shot.

Let me just say though that all the shots were TASTEFULLY done, LOL. I then took a few with Marcy, which were cute and playful but because of our storyline split, they weren’t meant to be too “close." Tom and I hoped to have a few shots together, but no dice. I can’t wait to see these shots and I’m sure once they come out, ya’ll will enjoy them too.

I received a really touching e-mail from a friend of mine that took me by surprise last week. It was an e-mail I was told I would be getting, but wasn’t told about the content of it. After reading it in its entirety, I just sat on my couch thinking about how I could respond in the most direct yet supportive way. This e-mail deals with making sacrifices in your life to go after your dreams. In this case, my friend wants to pursue acting but is afraid of what might happen or won’t happen if she tries.

I wanted to share this with ya’ll because I have received many e-mails and Blog responses talking about the same subject matter. I have omitted certain names and details to keep this person anonymous so enjoy.

“This email is being written to you through tears, so I must warn you that the contents of what you are about to read are full of emotion and perhaps a bit of babbling. The truth is that I have stopped watching Guiding Light since you first made your cameo. Odd I know, but the reality is, is that the day you showed up in "the diner" I got a feeling, similar to the stomach ache you get when you are nervous, and that feeling emerged every time I saw you onscreen afterwards. The feeling is a great big combo of admiration and fear. Admiration that you had the ability to leave all that is conventional and all that you know, regardless of the thoughts and whispers of others, to pursue a dream that you knew was yours to have. And the fear that I may have missed my chance to pursue my dream of performing...because sadly, I was afraid to dream and believe they could come true. I was totally fine, better than fine, in college because I was pursuing something that I enjoyed, something I was good at, and something that was safe...government studies. And I truly didn't believe that I was equipped to pursue "wild dreams" of performing because I didn't really think dreams like that could come true for people like you and I. Well your cameo on GL proved me wrong and threw out my "no wild dreams come true" theory. I've obviously put off emailing you, in hopes that this dream and yearning to perform would perhaps go away. Well, it didn't. A few weeks ago I was at CVS and thought to myself "if John is in that CBS Soaps magazine, then I have to contact him...if he's not, then it's not meant to be." Crazy right!??! Yeah, I totally admit to being nuts. But, sure enough, you were in the CBS magazine and I've finally conjured up the courage to write. I found out a long time ago that my 2 passions are as follows; performing and helping people. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Counseling which totally relates to the second passion...and is going alright (by that I mean I have a 4.0 but I'm not completely satisfied with what I am doing). As far as performing goes, other than Greek Week, singing at church, and skits in class, I haven't acted since my lead in the middle school musical. I was addicted to theatre in middle school. I can honestly say that I have never felt so alive as when I am performing...nothing comes close. I stopped acting because I was brought up in a house where conventional and safe reigned supreme and dreams of acting and performing were not so encouraged. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade my parents for the world, but coming from 2 school employees, they supported the "good benefits, good vacation, and job security" case much more often than supporting rather unconventional aspirations...such as acting. So here I am, trying to give you an understanding of my feelings and praying that you may have some sort of guidance. I try to make myself forget about acting and performing as a career by telling myself things like "Sara you don't want to move to New York," or "you're not thin enough to act," or "you haven't acted since middle school," "how would you even start a career in acting?" you get the point...but regardless of my attempts to make excuses, the dreams, the feelings, and the tears won't seem to go away. I can't even begin to imagine how you will respond to this email. But regardless John, I really appreciate the opportunity to vent...because this desire to act and perform again, these dreams of mine, I don't talk about them...because I really don't know what to say or do and that for me, is an unusual feeling. Thank you for being you and not being afraid to claim what is yours....your dreams.”

My response: “Your boyfriend (my fraternity brother) told me that you might E-mail me, but he didn't exactly warn me that the content would force me to sit down ;p At this moment I really feel inclined to open up a bible and recite or rather type a very prophetic verse from a chapter that has great significance to the human spirit and will. Unfortunately, I have not been as devout as I would choose to be but I AM PICKING MYSELF UP and WILLING MYSELF TO DO IT. You see that I capitalized these two phrases because they are honestly all I did to make my dreams come true (or rather start this chaotic/unsteady journey). What I feel about myself and towards my faith these days and the actions that I must take are the same thoughts and actions that don't have to be applied just to faith alone. These T & A (thoughts and actions) as you can see don't have to be found in a bible either. I know you yourself have already done these two simple things and continue to do so everyday. Getting out of bed when you'd rather stay in, getting a job and being content after receiving your undergraduate degree instead of going back to more schooling just to get your graduate, sending an email to a friend about your dreams and aspirations when you could just tell yourself "be happy with all that you have and don't risk losing it". These are all choices that are on the same plane as the choice I made to not finish school but to head to New York and give acting a whirl. You know, for me it was a “win win” situation in that I would go up to New York and if things worked out in a full school year's time frame that I would stay and I would have won; or if things hadn't worked out I would still be able to come home and finish up the one and half years I had at GMU and thus would have won also.

I guess I could go on and on about this topic because it is involving a close friend of mine (you) and a dream and love for something (acting) that we both share. My advice to you is in short is if Acting is what you love and what you feel then don't be afraid to explore and even pursue it. At this point I could continue with facts about this endeavor both fun and scary in truth, but I won't go into it at this time. You're not looking for those at this point in time, but merely sharing your thoughts and for that I thank you in your honesty. If you wish to talk in more detail about certain aspects of this path, it would be my pleasure, your boyfriend has my contact information;)

You really are an exceptional person, very driven and focused. All my best to you and I hope that at least you find some pertinent information in this e-mail.”

Until next time and please feel free to comment on my response if you thought it was good advice or if to you the reader, it was missing something.