Dream Chasers

No, these people are not lined up for the Kogi truck. Or for Black Friday.  Or for the new Disneyland show, “World of Colors.”

On this fine Saturday morning, Dorothy and I, along with, oh, 3,000 others, dragged ourselves out of bed at 5:30 in the morning and drove to Laguna Niguel for an open casting call.

A very special casting call. Y’alls know that video I had been hemming and hawing to you about? Well, Oprah also held open casting calls all around the country for average -and not so average- Joes and Janes to try out in person.  As you can see, we were clearly dressed to impress.

Starting at 6 (though most people may have been waiting even before that), O’s camp started handing out wristbands. The first 500 were guaranteed a group audition and they would continue to see people until 4 in the afternoon.

Madness.  so many people with their dreams in their pockets.

Dorothy had a brilliant idea to just wake up and drive to the casting in our PJ’s to get our wristbands and then change into our glamour outfits at a nearby hotel lobby while we were waiting for our numbers to get called. We found this super -trendy fitness spa/hotel and proceeded to change there.  After, I came out of the restroom a whole other woman, I went to the concierge and asked him to recommend some good breakfast places. He said this one place called, Original Pancake House was pretty well-known even though he had never been there personally. “Will you let me know how you like it when you get back?” He asks me. I tell him yes I will knowing full well I will never return. It was all so James Bond-esque.

The restaurant definitely lived up to its name with over 40 choices of pancakes and tons of other groovy things to order. It also happened to be one of the busiest restaurants I’d ever seen in my life- with people seated at tables only a couple of inches apart from eachother. When their orders came, other breakfast patrons would eat with a ferocity I had never seen before. Like they all hadn’t eaten for days and couldn’t be bothered to chat with the family or friends or lovers they had come with.

When Dorothy and my order came, we could see why the other eaters behaved the way they did. Look at that omelette! It’s ginormous, just daring you to finish it. If this wasn’t an Olympian-sized task, I don’t know what is.

Yea, I sure looked happy before I started my meal but you shoulda seen me after I finished it. I was in pain!

After lunch, we went back to the Kohl’s parking lot where the casting call was taking place.  After hours of waiting, we both finally had our audition.  Groups of 12-15 would go into a tent where one casting director would go around letting everyone give a 30-second introduction of themselves and what kind of show they want to host. I basically said the same spiel you heard in my video and thought I had done fairly well.  Apparently, not well enough though. So many of the other contestants in my group were AMAZING. They were dynamic, they were funny and they had awesome stories to tell.  These people had actually lived lives outside the Rowland bubble and done stuff.  Not saying I haven’t, but I think I need to live my life a little more, live better stories, and not just tell them.

I am so glad I spent the day at the casting call though. I got to have some serious bonding time with a great girlfriend and try something out regardless of the outcome.  It’s encouraging to see so many people chasing dreams.  In my eyes, those are the only dreams worth having come true.

Thank you all so much for your love and support and prayers with my little project. I’m overwhelmed because I realize that love isn’t something that’s earned, it’s not something you work for. Love is something that is gifted to you and all you can do is appreciate and be grateful you have it and try not to take advantage of it.  Same goes for the love you give out. Just give without expecting anything in return.

And now, some wise words from a wise man:

“People love to have lived a good life story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen.”

Please do check out Donald Miller’s latest book, “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years” if you get a chance! I’m almost done with my copy and every page has either given me the chills, filled my heart or made me chuckle, “Oh Don.” Let me know if you would like to borrow.

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posted by Janice | Comment: 6 | Friendlies, Inspirations, Los Angeles, Love, TV

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