Goals 2012 - How did I do?

Last year I posted my 2012 New Year's Goals here to keep myself accountable.  While going through these one thing I'm going to remember is:

If it's important to you, you will find a way.  If not you'll find an excuse.

So, let's see what ended up being important to me this year.

ACTING/CAREER: Goals Achieved:5  Got Close:4

• Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick.  *Mostly. Although, towards the end of the year when I was going to 4 classes a week I played hooky a couple times.*
• Work on scenes from plays I can put up. *I did work on scenes from plays, but we never got any of the plays up. Next month, I will be in "Boy's Life."*
• Read two plays a month. *I lost count. Some months I read more, other months I reread old plays. In the end I am happy with the number of plays I read.*
• Find and attend a good on-camera class to supplement my acting classes. *I attended an on-camera commercial class.*
• Complete editing on both my films before the PWFF early bird deadline. *One made it for the early bird deadline. The other made it by the late deadline.*
• Write and produce two more shorts this year. *We are halfway done filming one short I wrote. I didn't get a second one done, unless you count the 72 Hour Film Fest.*
• Continue to help at the agency once a week. *Went to the agency most weeks.*
• Find three casting offices that I can help out at as a reader. *I did!*
• Blog every Monday. *This will be my 47th blog this year. I did miss a couple weeks and some weeks were late - but I think that's an okay record.*

HEALTH: Goals Achieved:1  Got Close:1  Did Not Do:1

• Do something exercise-like at least 4 times a week. *Haha, yeah, not even close.*
• Cook at least 3 homemade dinners a week. *I didn't keep track, some weeks I made dinner every night, other weeks we ate more fast food than I would like to admit.*
• Make my own cleaning supplies.  Including laundry detergent and Windex. *I made both detergent and Windex. Plus, I tried to use cheaper, more natural cleaning products like baking soda.*

PERSONAL: Goals Achieved:1  Got Close:2  Did Not Do:1

• Do one craft per week. *I made a lot of crafts, but by halfway through the ear the one a week goal was too much - plus, I didn't have room for all these crafts.*
• Go see/do one cultural thing per week. *I did a lot of cultural stuff this year, but again the once a week goal was overwhelming. I am happy with the amount of culture I got.*
• Work on those novels.  Write 2 pages a day and reach 300 pages of a rough draft by August. *Nope, not even close.*
• Have friends over at least twice a month for movie night, dinner party, etc.  Can be low-key. *We had lots of small events throughout he year including Walking Dead nights and movie nights.  I am pleased with our social life this year.*

Now, it's time for me to start working on my 2013 Goals.

2012 Year in Review

I recently read one way to improve your spirits is to say out loud 5 positive facts about yourself - not opinions like I am nice or I am pretty, but actual facts such as I won best ugly sweater at the Christmas party, etc.  For my end of the year review I am going to state positive facts about me from the past year.

1. I GOT PAID TO BE AN ACTOR.  This year I started off with being cast as a costar in the pilot, Graceland, set to premiere next summer.  In the last month, I was cast in a supporting role in the new feature from James Franco's production company, Rabbit Bandini Productions, called Holy Land.  Plus, it was my first opportunity to act in front of a green screen.

With my "Okie Family" on the set of Holy Land

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to work with Eckhart Schmidt on his latest documentary about Los Angeles, reading passages from literature about the City of Angels.

2. I GOT TO ACT THIS YEAR - A LOT.  Besides the productions I was paid for, I had lots of opportunities to act and many were with my super talented friends - such as The Revolving Doors, Gibbon's Tail, and Nick Acosta.

I got to be in a Revolving Doors short,

in a Gibbon's Tail music video,

and in a Nick Acosta fan film!

Other than the films and plays I worked on, I had an amazing year of acting classes.  I had a master class with Ashley Judd and an intense 3 month class with James Franco, Val Lauren, and Jim Parrack.  We worked on plays I always wanted to but never had the guts to do like Clifford Odets.

3. I WAS AWARDED BEST SCREENPLAY AT THE PLAYHOUSE WEST FILM FESTIVAL.  Just completing the short film, All You Need, that I wrote and produced was a big achievement for me.

With my award and the director, Ricardo Ultreras.

All You Need was then accepted to the Oscar qualifying Los Angeles Shorts Festival.

With some of my cast at the LA Shorts Fest.

4. THE SHORT I DIRECTED FOR THE 72 HOUR FILM FEST WON BEST COMEDY.  This was my first attempt at directing and it was especially difficult since the film had to be conceived, filmed, and finished in that 72 Hour time allowance.  You can watch the whole film here, Little Bride Lie.

Discussing the scene with my DP and actors.

5. I GOT A HUG FROM NATHAN FILLION at Comic-con while I was dressed as The Doctor.  Not gonna lie - this might have been the highlight of my year.

Nathan Fillion is hugging me - this is pure awesomeness.

Also, my Effie Trinket cosplay was featured in Entertainment Weekly Comic-con issue.

That's me as Effie on the far left.

Bonus, I witnessed Chipper Jones' Walk-Off of the Year at Turner Field.  I'm sure going to miss seeing him in a Braves uniform.

At Turner Field with my Mom and a Craig Kimbrel bobblehead.

So, I had a pretty good year and I didn't even mention the trip up to Carmel, dinner at the Magic Castle, my nerdtastic birthday party, or all those wonderful nights spent watching TV and movies with my amazing friends.

Next week, I will take a look at the goals I set last year at this time - see where I succeeded and where I failed.  Probably won't be as cheery of a post.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!