8/17/15 – New Website – Hard Work – Rest Well deserved

Greetings friends! I’m not much of a believer in astrology. It just doesn’t seem scientific – everyone born within the same thirty days has the same personality traits and or occurrences in their lives? That pretty much seems to fly in the face of what we now scientifically know of genetics and physics etc. Additionally, a lot of it seems sort of arbitrary. Okay people born in the month of April under the sign of Aries (like myself) are… Oh I don’t know dominant, firey, don’t like pain, etc. I can look at almost any Zodiac sign and see some commonalities with my own personality.

But a friend mentioned I should look at my horoscope for the month of August. On a whim I did. And lo and behold the online astrologers all said that this is an amazing time for Aries. I think this has something to do with Saturn being in my house this month or something. Regardless, I’m happy that I’ve had a fantastic month and perhaps shifts in the gravitational pull and planet alignment might have some minor affect on mood and behavior in the population and influence the outcome of things. I’ll take it.

Through the month of July and August I have –

• Taken new headshots
• Learned to video edit with new video software
• Edited a new comedy reel
• Edited a new drama reel
• Took Voice Over class at Kalmenson & Kalmenson
• Took the orientation for the Don LaFontaine VO Lab through SAG and completed three sessions in the Solo Booth
• Queried Literary Agents
• Continued to research Self- Publishing
• Continued to rewrite/edit a draft of my novel
• And I’ve redone my entire website and given it a whole new coat of paint which you are seeing here and at http://www.adamburch.net

I also finished two fantastic novels – Red Rising by Pierce Brown and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Both were incredible reads and will be turned into films. Both inspired me in my own writing and also let me know how far I have to go. Up next is the Lost City of Z, by David Grann.

I think it’s time to acknowledge my hard work, take stock and remind myself of how much farther I have to go, and open myself up to new adventures and what might come my way. Which is why I’m headed out of the country to Peru to explore the Amazon and Machu Picchu!

Bon Voyage and enjoy the new transformation here at http://www.adamburch.net

Machu Picchu (Peru)

1/16/2015 – New Year and New Goals

It’s 2015 and that means a fresh slate to create new goals and visions. 2014 was chalk full of goals, and a lot of changes for me personally. 2015 I feel will be the same and include some leaps and bounds I have yet to make (literally and figuratively). I certainly am a goal setter and keep daily checklists to keep me on task. I’ve blogged quite a bit about it here, but in an effort to keep things efficient, I just want to put out into the ether my desires for this year.

1. Mind- My intellectual goals this year include finishing my novel (I’m down to the last few pages of the second draft), reading eight books with my book club (or on my own), and studying a foreign language (perhaps in anticipation of a vacation later in the year).
2. 

   I don’t really look like this either.

   Body- I have a strong practice of exercising daily. I’d like to keep that up and gain a bit of size and strength, then bring my agility up to speed. The Body Beast and Insanity: Asylum Vol. 2 were the best programs I felt last year that did this for me. But what good is getting in shape without using it? I’d like to finally do a mud-run at some point either in the spring or late summer.

3. Career- In acting I would like to book a couple more roles on television to bolster my resume, I’d like to finally record a Voice Over Reel, and I would like to film a passion project (ie- something that I write and produce). As for the day-job side of things, I am looking to transition away this year from working full-time. To that end I’ve made some financial changes to ensure more income, I’m investing in a career counselor, and working very diligently on my artistic endeavors, hoping they will provide some streams of income (rather than trickles!
4. 

   The Power of Breath

   Spirit- Oh man I’ve made a goal to meditate at least a few minutes a day four times a week and I am already not doing so hot in this category. But that’s the goal. Writing it down puts it out and makes the commitment more tangible for me. Otherwise, I have a thought of perhaps volunteering a little time somewhere, for something. I’ve never been much of a “I’m of service” guy, at least not in that way. But new experiences are important.

5. Fun- It will be my 35 birthday this year and I would like to do some things I have not yet done including skydiving and surfing. I have taken a little hiatus from martial arts this winter, but would like to get back into it at some point as well as continue my dabbling with rock climbing.
6. Rest and Recovery– you can’t have the Yang without the Yin. So in this category I’ve made a commitment to rest on Sundays (not track my goals), and take one day off a month to just go out by myself for a few hours and get some peace and quiet. Additionally I would like to take a big trip. Peru and Machu Pichu has been on my list for a while and I’ve heard that they will be closing the site down due to too many people ruining the integrity of the site. So I hope I can get there before that happens.

Those are my goals in brief for 2015. Fire me a message and share with me your goals!

11/14/14 – To go or not to go?

Hey Folks!

Wasn’t really planning a blog post this morning, but something came up for me which I often struggle with- Being spread too thin! It seems that when it comes to acting and auditioning, when it rains it pours. For months I have not been auditioning or performing consistently. Then all of a sudden this week several things came up. I was cast in a scene in my writer’s/actor’s group, SAFEHOUSE, I had an audition for a theatre, have been in rehearsals for a reading of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia happening this Sunday, an audition for a network television show, an offer to audition for another theatre show my friend is doing this Monday…. whew. Meanwhile, I’m still maintaining that full-time 40 hour a week day job, trying to work through re-writes on my book… it’s no wonder I woke up this morning, struggled to get to work, and then felt like I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to an audition for an Equity Musical today!

Being spread too thin or over-working/over-training is something I am prone to and have to be aware of. One of my posts earlier in the year was about physical training and the tenet that proper rest and recovery is essential to growing and performing your best.

Could use some work.

So, today there is an open call for a high paying equity theatre job. And part of me really wants to go. One of my goals has been to put myself out there for Musicals because I felt like I haven’t adequately explored that part of my range as a performer and I sing well. It’s also very scary for me to sing in front of people. But the other part of me thinks, “Of course this came up right when I am feeling burnt out and tired with a lot of other projects.” It’s really a balance for me between figuring out whether or not I am avoiding going to something because I am afraid to put myself out there, or whether or not I really am just taking on too many tasks. Without proper rest and recovery, the work on all the projects suffer. So the question is- should I stay or should I go?

I’ll put it out there like this today in my blog. How do  you deal with this balance in taking on too many things? This isn’t a situation where I can delegate really. What are strategies that you use to deal?  Hit me up in the comments below!