Irresponsible and up all night

I've just returned from an all night donut session in North Hollywood, where I met a dear friend for sweets and profound conversation. I could brag endlessly about my friend, who recently signed a three year contract on Young and the Restless and is currently playing one of the show's major characters. She's given me stable and heartfelt advice, and I'm always excited when our schedules allow us time to get together.

When actors meet, they talk about a variety of repetitive topics. Tonight we discussed the risks and sacrifices we make to be out here forging our way through a city that loves to dispose of people's dreams and confidence. We agreed that the only way to live out here is without a plan B. In other words (sorry parents), you can't think "At least I have that degree from Mizzou to fall back on." If you truly want to make it out here, there can be no fallback plan. It's either do or die.

So tonight I go to sleep completely motivated and determined (such is the benefit of the cliched dream talk among actors). I won't be a journalist. I won't be in sales. I won't return home to work for a family friend. I'm going to accomplish what I set out to do when I begged my mother to let me take acting classes back in 1990. I'm going to make a living as an actor, mark my words.