12. a gentleman goes to the theatre

today was exhausting. who knew being a gentleman could be so mentally draining? fortunately, it was one of the first days of this whole enterprise where i walked away feeling like i was actually getting somewhere.

my day started off with an audition. which went brilliantly, thank you for asking. after putting myself through so much unnecessary emotional strife yesterday, i made it a point to focus on how i was treating myself today. i guess it helps that my audition went well. but even so, the whole experience was completely different from yesterday. yesterday i was trapped in my head. today, i was free. free from the debilitating thoughts that crippled me yesterday. i don't know how i did it, i just know that i did. and hopefully i can do it again. and again. because it felt good not to walk away from the audition with a few unnecessary self-inflicted mental bruises.

then i went to the theatre. my friend jessica invited me to the opening night of the importance of being earnest on broadway, which was incredible. and the perfect play for me to see while on this journey. the play pokes fun at the heart of my project, and i think it was important for me to laugh at myself a little bit, because i've taken my thoughts so seriously these past few weeks.

while at the theatre, i was able to test out a few of the guidelines i've read about, like actually turning off my cell phone instead of just silencing it for the duration of the play. and facing people as i passed by them to get to my seat instead of turning my back towards them. everything i did came across naturally and didn't feel imposed in any way.

being at the theatre and seeing a play that was written over a decade ago took me back in time. i didn't feel like i was living in 2011. i really felt like a gentleman of another time. and i liked the feeling. i liked feeling cultured and sophisticated. i'll have to remind myself to do a little more of this sort of thing this year - because i don't see nearly as much theatre as i should, especially for being an actor.

after jessica and i parted, i stopped by rob's bar to see him. i had a drink and some dinner and while there, some friends stopped by. my skills were tested a little as a young lady i was unfamiliar with latched onto me in conversation. but i kept things moving and turned into this dazzlingly charming young man who even escorted her outside in the cold for a cigarette, even though i don't smoke or even like it that much.

but once i finally got home, i crashed. it may have been because it was a late night, but keeping everything going was tiring. i loved it, though, as silly as it all sounds. because i felt good about myself the whole time.