A Day of Rest

After lots of hustle and bustle in the city, I decided to give myself a little day off and get a few needed errands and more importantly relax. Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of the day, all of it in my business suit, which I hate wearing. To start the day, I had a meeting with a manager who had called me back after our musical theatre showcase last spring. It was a good meeting, feel like I learned a good chunk and got some good tips, but was certainly not the most I have had in my life. For over an hour, I had to talk about myself, my dreams and goals, my strengths and weaknesses, and attempts at professional work thus far. Not to mention I had to perform a monologue, two excerpts of songs, and do several of the impressions listed on my resumé (the receptionist didn't tell me to prepare anything while I was on the phone with her - she also neglected to mention that this man operates out of his home office). It was like sitting in his living room naked for an hour, while we discussed what he saw. Thank God he didn't mention my weight. I am sure this process was good for me, but maybe not the easiest thing in the world. After that, I ventured over to the Upper East Side to Serendipity 3 (restaurant chain of One Fine Day fame) because of a "Help Wanted" ad they had placed on Craig's List. After finding the cramped, tiny little restaurant, I escorted by the host to this troll-looking woman, one part Sophia Loren (today not then), one part Carol Channing (does it matter?), and one part hump (Quasimodo? - ouch). After glancing over my resume, which required her hand held magnifying glass, she asked me my availability, and promptly threw my resume at me when I told her I was only available M-F. It was like, just by walking in the door and mentioning the ad, I had insulted them. Bah! And let me tell you, the Central Park overlooking, museum laden, classic architecture chic, luxury fashion and decor store headquarters known as the Upper East Side, is not my favorite part of the city. There, one can see where the snooty New Yorker stereotype mostly stems from. I mean, what do these people have to be so up tight about? They probably all live in doorman-protected, rent controlled apartments many times the size of mine, and wear outfits worth more than my monthly rent. I was quite flustered and the Granny in me was rarin' to get out of those stuffy clothes and back to Astoria. However, I trucked on, as I was planning to stop by the Apple Store in the nearby area. My headphones had gone kaput, and I knew replacements were a necessary purchases. What turned into a simple pick-up errands quickly turned into much more as I descended the psychedelic semi-clear plastic spiral staircase into the store proper. Apparently, the Apple Store is a gran destinación for NY tourists, especially those not so inclined to English. After fighting through the masses, I flashed my credit card, purchased my ear buds, and escaped the pandemonium, iPod music once again sheltering me from the city. Now, its into the subway, to the interview, and home soon. Simple, eh? No. After walking for a good half hour (plus ten minutes waiting in line for the bathroom at the Dunkin' Donuts), trying to find an address that in reality is somewhere in the water separating Manhattan and Queens, I broke down and called the law firm to get their address (which was much closer to the subway stop in the first place). Frustrated, tired, and hungry, I interviewed as well as I could. It quite a strange meeting: everyone was dressed down, including my interviewers, and I was in a suit, and I was placed in a conference room full of bookshelves, boxes, and old movie posters. The interview consisted mostly of the woman describing the job, glancing at my resume, and trying to remember if there was anything she had forgotten. Finally relieved of my interview duties (I REALLY would like to get that job $$), I returned home to Queens, content to do nothing the rest of the night, or at least attempt to. Tomorrow holds another audition for me and my first staff meeting at Locale (oh joy!). Let's hope for the best. For now, all I have is good night!