Take time to follow your passion. You may have heard the line, “do something you are passionate about and you will never work”. Unfortunately, it’s not always so easy to do. I would have liked my profession to have been a writer or actress. I don’t have the voice to be in musicals (love attending them), but I could have seen myself on stage or as a character actress for films or television. I can say I was an extra once for a Japanese movie called Strawberry Road which was film in and around my hometown of Salinas, CA.

There was a call out for extras, so my friend and I went, not thinking we would be chosen, but we ended up be called in for a nightclub scene. We checked in with wardrobe and makeup, then waited, and waited while the crew worked on the lighting. Finally, we went in to rehearse the scene. I was placed on the dance floor and my friend got to sit in a booth. After rehearsing we left to wait again, until the director was ready to film the scene. So many times of repeating the actions…wide shots…close-ups… various angles… focus on the main actors, focus on the supporting actors, general shots. All day and into the night we worked on the nightclub scene until we got the OK to leave.

Yes, there was a long of wait time, but the experience was also a lot of fun. To my surprise I received a call a couple of days later if I could do another scene. I found myself in the fields of San Juan Bautista. Once I got wardrobe and makeup taken care of… I was out planting strawberry plants as the cameras rolled. Still, it was an adventure. Later the same day, I get another call; they wanted me back for another scene. I had to say no, because I had already taken too much time away from work at a busy time. Just when you find something you think could be your passion, reality hits, and it back to work. I have thought of joining a community theater group, but making rehearsal and show times would always conflict with work schedules. I can’t afford to be without a full-time job, so it makes it hard to follow that passion.

Now, I finally have a full time job, which has more flexibility. I believe it’s time to learn more about how I can participate in local theatre scene, and this 30 Day Writing Challenge is tapping into the other passion!