NYC #2

Life continues to get better.

Fortunately I continue to find castings to go to and the potential to be in more shows increases. I brought Philip to a casting with me the other day and he got selected while I did not...hilarious. Nice guys finish last....hahahahahahahaha what a stupid saying. If I'm meant to be a model I shall be...

Unfortunately Philip is here to be a chef not a model and could not attend the show. I will get him into a show before he goes back home, for some reason I find immense humor in the potential of him becoming a model while here. Think. He came here for one reason and then could possibly go home and tell his friends he became a model....this makes me chuckle.

So again with Philip in mind we both went to work for a promotions company. Promoting a gay musical set in WWII, sort of a brokeback mountain sort of thing but in the war. We had to dress up as soldiers and go to a gay bar in the upper east side to hand out flyers. SO FUNNY. My plan was to stay outside as long as we could handle the cold and then go in to pass the rest of the flyers out. After it started to snow Philip says "Randall I can't feel my fingers" so I replied kindly saying well if you really want to go in we can but trust me, it wont be pleasant. So we walk in.

Two young, decent looking, soldiers into a high end gay bar....like two pieces of steak in a lions den. Needless to say all of our flyers were taken instantly and we were the main attention of the 25 minutes we were inside. Even the pianist got less attention than our eye catching uniforms. Bartender made us two cosmopolitans and we fit in just perfectly with the gay crowd. The time limit was reached and I was tempted with another martini but Philip said "They kiss me, that is not ok, we must go" so we left.

FUCKIN RIOT.

So then afterwards I was asked to do another promotion, NOT GAY, handing out flyers for a music group called the GYPSY KINGS. That was mad easy work and I met a cool kid named Matthew. Him and I got along great and once the promotion concluded we went our separate ways after exchanging contact info.

Tuesday nights in town are infamous for their open bars especially where I am located so this Tuesday night I went out with Mark, a hostel resident/part part time employee and a guest Greg from Switzerland. We went to the first bar and as soon as I got in some gay tried to grab my leg...I pushed him away and went over to Mark and said look bro you gotta keep me away because this guys trying to feel me up and I'm gonna smash his face in. He extinguished the situation and we began drinking our free beverages. I think we each had 6-8 drinks as you were allowed two glasses at a time each time you ordered a drink. Once that open bar was closed we escaped to the other open bar. Quality times, lots of dancing and laughing, then home.

A make up artist staying with us offered to pay for me to go to the Tim Burton exhibit so I agreed but when we got there the exhibit was sold out so we opted to go to lunch instead. Planet Hollywood SUCKS....don't ever go there if you want to eat decent food. If you don't mind consuming products that of McDonalds quality then go there, highly recommended though they do have lots of interesting movie artifacts to browse.

The next day I got a call from a photographer from Model Mayhem and we met up in Times Square to shoot. We got some images shot and then I got a call from a website owner who sells clothing for other companies saying that he wanted to use me for their site and that he needed me in an hour and a half from the time he called me. I committed and arrived on time.

The shoot was basic, me in different shirts. 15 + different shirts with a basic white backdrop. Strictly commercial. So I learned that the owner of this company is a surfer and said he'd be willing to show me where to surf around the city which is an ILL connect and then his partner is a club owner. The club owner really interested me as I am seeking work as well as play and he could provide me with both. We chatted of the club after he noticed me sort of moving to the music that was being played while I was being photographed. He mentioned that his club was known for dancing and people strictly went there to dance. My sort of place so I told him that I would be there at midnight, a fashionably late time to arrive at a club.

I get back to the hostel after the shoot and tell my boy Mark about the plan, he's in. We pregame a bit, probably a full glass of vodka per person mixed with a splash of red bull and then roll out. We take a taxi to the club and arrive at the door. There's a mad line so I figure it can't hurt to try and get in smoothly by dropping the owners name. I go up to the bouncer and ask him if he was the name the owner said the bouncers name would be and he confirmed. I continued by saying that I was here to see the owner and then proceeded to pull out his business card and say I met him tonight and he said to tell you that it was cool for me to get in.

We walked right in...no lines, no waiting :)

We get into the club and Mark takes care of the coat check. We find the owner and he gets us our first round of drinks. After a little buzz we hit the dance floor. Solid music and crowd, I like. Long story short I get black out drunk and wake up the next day not knowing how I got into bed.

I missed a casting but whatever, easy come easy go. Off to the gym for a little sobering work out and then back to the hostel to prepare for my T shirt shoot. A T shirt shoot where I solicited yet another hostel resident to come along and get photographed. He had a good time and got to chat it up with one of the cutie models there so I was happy to help him out. Plus I got a free t shirt. Whatever.

So after the shoot I run immediately to another flyering gig and get some quick easy money with my boy matthew. Afterwards he shows me this ill spot where you can swim and hit up the sauna. It's more or less a hotel but with a baller pool and sauna downstairs he said you can use without an issue. Sounds like a good time. I may use it later, may not.

This week I will return home to see the parents and grandmother and then do my taxes.

I cannot wait to escape for the night.

New York is lovely.

NYC #1

All moved into the city.

Within the first week I lost my friendship with a close photographer, got casted for a few shows, and started to love life.

I walked in a show on the second friday night of residing in the city. Two looks, two coats, one pair of silly sunglasses which made me look like I belonged on the star trek set.

Now I am settled into the hostel. I got selected to be in the moncler presentation. 4 stories high on construction scaffolding for 2 hours in the dark cold night....got a free coat for that which is hot.

I had a show tonight, went late but I walked and it felt empowering.

One of the guys who lives here asked me if I felt that I was changing after doing all these shows. At first I said yeah I'm turning into an asshole...but I retracted that statement. I'm getting more confident in my opinions and no longer afraid to be brutally honest. I am gaining power from each show I do. Power for my brain and heart to keep pushing and pursuing my dream of becoming a successful model in the city I call my jungle.

I love new york and have met so many interesting people.

My schedule continues to be full and I enjoy that as back in Massachusetts I was endlessly bored and in need of substances to get any sense of satisfaction. Now waking up is all I need.

It's a rebirth I must never forget. I must never go backwards...only step forwards with the occasional side step.

I love my decision to move here.