For many years I’ve performed in the Chicago Bar Association’s annual Christmas Spirits musical revue, aka “the bar show,” in which everyone on stage is a lawyer.

This year’s show, LawLawPalooza, parodies a wide range of famous people, from Rod Blagojevich arriving at prison to Lady Gaga to Kate and Pippa Middleton, and issues such as the state of the economy, all sung and danced to tunes including “Footloose,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “I Believe,” from the Tony Award winning Book of Mormon.

LawLawPalooza is at DePaul’s Merle Reskin Theatre.  Some of us have some very quick costume changes and dressing rooms on the 4th or 5th floors (There’s no elevator. I’m on the 5th floor, 56 stairs), so backstage is often a flurry of performers preparing for upcoming numbers. I have only a short song to return a microphone and change from a sequined skirt and top, jacket and boots into a policeman outfit. Another cast member helps with my shoes.

ChicagoCritic.com recommended the production, here.  We offered a Groupon (I’m to the left of the guy in the hat).  Some tickets are still available December 8 through 10 at http://www.barshow.org/, which also offers video clips from past shows.

I had a wonderful time from12 midnight to 8:00 am this morning participating in Nortonstufftheatre.com’s 24-hour live streaming event that brought real Facebook posts to life.

My shift’s amazing cast included an opera singer, a juggler (who among other things freed himself from a straight jacket while on a unicycle and walked barefoot on an elevated sword blade while juggling knives), a freestyle rapper, a balloon artist (who made, among other things, an incredible alligator head), a multi-piece band, several hosts and some improvisers who also improvised songs or were puppeteers. My contributions: speed talking and improv.  Other shifts featured graffiti and caricature artists and an auctioneer. 

For 50 minutes each hour (the other 10 minutes were intermission), we’d be assigned Facebook posts, whether status updates or pictures, to interpret or be inspired by according to our talents.  I made up some speed talking monologues on the spot, memorized or read actual posts, or did scenes based on the post. 

Topics included “my favorite athlete’s name is Bruce,” someone who was up late and wanted to chat with us, and someone who wanted to know if anyone had a tent she could use.  One poster requested that the speed talker list events that occurred his birthday, 9/17/1987.  One of my friend’s posts made it into the mix and was acted out by a green puppet.

A wardrobe and a props person were on hand to add suitable or amusing items to each visit to the stage, from an assortment of hats and wigs to a bicycle to a cardboard box I used. 

The event was covered in the New York Times Media Decoder blog, here.

Will I make the “Best of Stuff Theatre” coming soon?  Stay tuned…

December approaches, tolling the end of another year spent on this mortal coil (as Hamlet would say). Some of us will age well, remaining healthy, spry and active well into our later years. Others will be waylaid by medical issues that even today’s technology is unable to resolve satisfactorily, which can drain their energy and limit mobility.

We can’t know how long we have. So the older I get, the more I value my time. The more wasting and frittering it bothers me, because there are so many things I want to do and see. I want to make more room for fun without sacrificing productivity.

I’m finding ways to enjoy things that can be frustrating. If I have to wait in line, I can read a book on my phone. If I get stuck in traffic (driving home from the suburbs the day before Thanksgiving, the traffic report said from O’Hare to downtown was an hour and forty-five minutes!), I can listen to good music or call a friend. I can work on controlling my attitude and find something to appreciate about an otherwise not so pleasant situation.

A goal is to increase efficiency, so I’m keeping track of how long some tasks take to accomplish. For example, I can spend a good while coming up with exactly what I want to say in a business email. I might overthink each word and phrase. Plan: spend half the amount of time on each email. Savings: probably a couple of hours a week.

And while some activities are fun, perhaps if we evaluate how much time we spend on them, we might make room for things we like even more. Most of us enjoy browsing online, whether we’re partaking of social media, shopping, or looking for recipes or other information. But do you even know how long you spend trolling the Internet each day… how many hours is too many coming up with tweets, quips for or uploading pictures to Facebook? Plan: eliminate at minimum an hour a week. Savings: 52 hours a year.

Errands… from grocery shopping to dry cleaning.  Being Gainfully Uenmployed, I’m fortunate that I can often complete these tasks during the week or earlier in the day when stores aren’t as crowded.  I almost always run more than one errand, and often complete them on my way somewhere else.  What can you do to get more done in fewer hours? 

We can’t control the passage of time. But often we can control what we do with it.

Most Gainfully Employed have the benefits of receiving a regular paycheck and seeing their year to date totals earned and deducted. They know who to contact if there are discrepancies. The Gainfully Unemployed freelancer can receive checks from numerous one time only and returning clients, which makes keeping track of received and accurate payments a challenge. We may accept various methods of payment: check, PayPal, etc. Usually we’re not paid on a regular basis, nor do we have automatic deposit. So we can’t know when income from certain jobs will arrive or keep track of what we’ve earned just by glancing at a single W-2.

I’ve created a many-column Excel chart listing all the jobs I’ve done, for who, what I’m supposed to get paid, when I do, etc.  I can tell at a glance how this year compares to last year, and who has or hasn’t compensated me.

So far I’ve only had one client who hasn’t paid. If an independently acquired client doesn’t pay in a timely manner, we have to be our own collections department. I’m still trying to track the money down, but the voiceover for a TV commercial in another state, which I got from a trusted online site, was completed a few months ago. I know  it can take awhile for production companies to get paid by their clients, and they usually don’t pay the talent until they are paid. This production company, however, didn’t say they too were awaiting payment.

At one point, the client actually told me the check was in the mail. When days went by and I told him I still hadn’t received it, he emailed that he’d check on the check.   

It’s not easy to know how often to send reminders, or the appropriate tone to take as time passes.  Do I stick with something like, “Please remit at your earliest convenience,” or get more demanding?

Will I get stiffed?  Time will tell.  

What you wear can be important. For example, many jobs require uniforms. And if you’re going to a wedding or an interview, you probably put some thought into your outfit and accessories and wouldn’t dream of wearing faded jeans and a t-shirt.

Often an actor is required to supply her own wardrobe, whether she’s a principal or an extra. This means choosing and bringing multiple options, including shoes and jewelry, either to a paid wardrobe fitting before the shoot or to the set. Many people use suitcases with wheels, but I try to fit what I need into a garment bag and a backpack.

Usually we’re told things such as: casual, nice casual, business casual, etc. And/or not to bring white, red, clothes with logos, items with large or bright patterns. A couple of times formal wear has been required. It’s interesting to see how people interpret these descriptors.

Occasionally auditioners provide additional wardrobe, such as a lab coat (which may or may not fit/be flattering). At a recent audition they provided a hat and mittens.

On set, clothes and hairstyle can make the man or woman. I was supposed to be a reporter on a TV series. But when the wardrobe people saw my nice business suit, they had me be a government official instead…a more featured role that resulted in several minutes of screen time. The woman originally cast had brought separates, no jackets with matching pants or skirts.

It probably didn’t hurt that I’d straightened my usually curly hair, which the hairstylist had taken more than half an hour to flatiron again (someone has decreed that no TV reporters should have curly hair. Flip through the channels and you’ll see. I’ve learned this rule also applies to movies/TV shows. To be a reporter in a major film, I’d slicked my hair into a low ponytail. That hair person also flatironed my hair…and put it back into a ponytail.) For period films, you have to be willing to cut or grow out your hair.

Sometimes there’s miscommunication about exactly what or how much to bring. Once I was told “upscale bar,” and dressed accordingly. The hairstylist had painstakingly straightened my hair to a Vidal Sassoon commercial sheen. Someone on the crew came to take us to set and was fairly horrified. Because it was really a blue collar bar. The hair person smeared some greasy cream in my hair. We literally ran to the wardrobe truck, had clothes thrown at us and put them on as we ran to set.

Recently I did a print shoot where I changed clothes seven times in two hours. The challenge is to bring enough without having to schlep too much.

These days it’s easier than ever to fritter away time and brain power on the Internet, from watching all sorts of videos, reading countless articles and keeping up with social media. We might think we’re busy, but what are we accomplishing? What are we learning?

Not that many years ago, we might have felt out of touch if we didn’t read the paper or watch the nightly news. Now we might feel out of the loop if we’re not up to speed on sites from Facebook to LinkedIn to Twitter. New options pop up frequently. How many do we need?

Cultural literacy used to consist of, for example, being familiar with classic literature and films. Now it might mean knowing who the latest YouTube sensations are. Why is the media so obsessed with topics such as the Kardashians…if they’re given that many column inches/minutes on the air, who and what are they pushing off the page/screen? How many of us can name all the siblings or know how long Kim was married before filing for divorce, but don’t how much they need to save for retirement?

Though I constantly hear about the value and importance of Twitter, my dabblings have proved confusing, and haven’t yet shown me why I need to be more active on it. At the same time, I wonder what I’m missing. I keep reading that to increase followers and achieve any results, a consistent presence is needed. How many tweets is too many, and how do you stay on top of tweeting, reading, following, retweeting, accompanying apps/tools, etc., and still get work done?  What’s the tipping point for gaining useful knowledge, growing buisiness and social relationships, and time suck? 

For more information:
How many tweets should you do a day?

Better time your tweets.

How often should you tweet?

How many tweets is too many?

Some Gainfully Employed may be able to work 9 to 5, then go home and relax. They may be able to free their minds, put their feet up and not worry about what’s still on their plate — except for dinner. Some have two jobs and/or other obligations, and need to summon the energy and discipline to take those on after putting in many hours at the office.

The Gainfully Unemployed often juggle multiple projects and have little control over when or how many additional opportunities will arise or how much notice we’ll get. When jobs and auditions come in, my instinct is to say “yes” (unless the terms are egregious, i.e., $100 for a national TV commercial). Not only because I appreciate and enjoy the work and the income, but because I don’t want the client/agent/producer to choose someone else. Not this time or the next. And if an upcoming week happens to be slower, I might regret passing on a prospect.

Some days, fitting in last minute auditions and jobs can be a challenge. I’ve tried being in two places at once … getting permission to leave one gig during lunch to pop in for rehearsal at another. That can be costly (cabs or parking lots vs. walking, taking the bus or finding street parking) and nerve-wracking, if I’m constantly checking my watch to make sure I have enough time to get back.

Too much work and socializing in one day can also be hard on my voice. Recently I had a singing rehearsal and a VO job a couple of hours later. I wasn’t sure how long the recording session would last, nor did I get a script in advance so I could see how much copy I had. Then a client called that morning with a rush VO job, which I did from home. The afternoon job turned out to be two hours with only a short break. By the end, my throat was starting to get scratchy. Maybe additional warm up exercises and vocal care (hydration, throat spray, lozenges, etc.) will help in the future.

A long day on set is usually interesting and enjoyable, but can be exhausting. So if I have an upcoming deadline for, say, a writing project, or if I’ve made plans to go out, do I push myself to do it all or not … and fall behind or miss out on the fun?

Each of us can find the balance between pushing ourselves and taking an appropriate break.   

Create Margin in Your Overly Busy Life

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Where is your time spent? 

Some freelancers justify playing instead of working by saying they became a freelancer so they didn’t have to clock in at an office or report to a boss. They may sleep in, take long lunches, and/or spend hours on personal pursuits. Maybe some can wile away the hours but still earn a good living and save. Others may choose or defensively rationalize getting less done and earning less than their full potential.

I tend to believe that because I’m a freelancer, I should work more than 9 to 5. And to me work includes preparing for the future of my career and for retirement, not just finishing jobs on deadline. Particularly in this economy…when so many who want to be gainfully employed aren’t, I’m even more grateful for every paying gig.

While the “work first” approach helps keep money and projects coming in, it can also lead to working too many hours a day. Yet even as my eyes blur from staring at waveforms and words on my monitor, I think about putting more irons in the fire. I wonder if I should take a break from any enjoyable but “free” pursuits such as improv teams, committees or chorus. Instead of going out on a given night, should I conserve energy for a busy tomorrow?

Bookings can be last minute. I’ve gotten emails after 9PM the night before, one as late as 11:20PM. Of course I can say I’m not available, but I’d rather not turn down a client…even if I already had a lot on tap that day. Fortunately a lot of my work happens to be fun, but that isn’t quite the same as actual play or relaxing.

Perhaps at times I put more pressure on myself to be productive than I need to. But if I don’t, who will? 

Jessica.preeg@stmartins.com

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS (St. Martin’s Press, October 25, 2011) is an inspiring collection of true stories from real-life people who have experienced such moments where the meaning of the season becomes undoubtedly clear. A man mailing gifts at the post office witnesses a moving scene that changes his life forever. An unhappy couple is drifting further apart…until a special Christmas gift allows them to renew their love and mend their fractured marriage. And a father tries to keep the spirit of Christmas alive for his son with a grand gesture–a gesture that will be remembered by his family and many others for years to come.

With a forward by bestselling author Debbie Macomber, who is widely considered the “Official Storyteller of Christmas,” THE SPIRIT OF CHISTMAS is filled with magic, wonder and deep meaning. It’s impossible for these stories not to touch your heart. I look forward to your coverage.

CECIL MURPHEY is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN. He has published 108 books and lectures widely. MARLEY GIBSON has written several young adult novels for both Penguin Group and Houghton Mifflin. They have collaborated on a previous Christmas book for St. Martin’s Press, CHRISTMAS MIRACLES.

TO REQUEST REVIEW COPIES AND/OR AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHORS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Jessica Preeg, Publicity

T: 646-307-5568/ E: Jessica.Preeg@stmartins.com

Those who love showtunes (like I do) will immediately think of Godspell when they read the title of today’s post.  But I don’t have Stephen Schwartz’s musical in mind. I’m thinking about how the random flow of work and schedule changes out of our control impact the Gainfully Unemployed.  How our plans for a given day can change at the drop of a hat.

For example, I found out that at around 11:15 that a print job I was supposed to do in Evanston had to be postponed because of problems with the camera.  Some freelancers may relish such cancellations, especially when the weather is as perfect as it is today, and view them as an opportunity to have fun.  Others, like me, usually prefer to be productive instead of playing hooky.  I now have several more hours to work on a VO job that arrived yesterday.  The sooner I finish it, the sooner I can start on the next project. 

Similarly, if we don’t have impending deadlines, it’s easy for the GU to schedule what seems like a full day…breakfast with one friend, lunch with another.  Add a doctor’s appointment followed by that errand we’ve been meaning to run.  So we’re busy, because our calendar is full and we’re running from place to place.  But is that the best use of our time?

We don’t report to a boss, and often have the freedom to choose whether to work or play.  I believe that relying on this freedom and giving into the temptation to take off (or fritter away hours on the Internet, Facebook, Twitter or other social media) too often can lead to less work coming in and thus to self-sabotage of our success.  Being a freelancer is a privilege, not a right, IMO.  If I don’t have a project on my plate today, I can use that time to grow my business, to self-market and put more irons in the fire.

On occasion, however, I think freelancers should take advantage of the fact that our time cards are flexible.  One solution is to devote a portion of any found time from cancellations/rescheduling to additional work, and a portion to spontaneity and relaxation.  I’ve made progress on my VO project, so I’m going to enjoy part of the day…outside, not at my computer.  And run that errand while I’m out and about.