If you enjoy astronauts making out in space, or Vogue’s Anna Wintour stealing beef jerky at a 7-eleven, you’ll love reading about my recent exploits. Is it like an eighth-grade “How I spent my summer vacation” essay? Maybe. But hopefully, it’s A LOT more interesting. You be the judge!
In March, when Los Angeles casting offices started shutting down, I bought a one-way ticket home to Portland. I thought I’d be there for one or two weeks, but I spent the next three months, quarantining with my family. I was told (by my parents) to savor this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have so much time with both of them and my two sisters, who are grown and out of the house. Happily, I can report, we’re all still speaking to each other!
In reference to the astronauts and Anna Wintour stealing beef jerky, you’ll be glad to learn I gave life to these unique characters. A huge part of my creative evolution over the last six months has been my ongoing training at the Groundlings, where I’m one of the youngest people at the advanced level. For months I was taking long-form improv classes over Zoom taught by the Groundling’s amazing Roy Jenkins! This class eventually evolved into a weekly show. Our group is called the Interlocutors, and nine of us perform (over Zoom) every Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 PM. HERE is the link to our Facebook page with more info. We take suggestions, then perform two thirty-minute sets. A highlight for our posse was performing at virtual Burning Man: a red-hot set! Our performances are viewed by hundreds of people around the country. It has been a wonderful escape from our COVID-19-plagued world and a chance to laugh with some good friends. The craziness helps keep me sane!
My Pepperdine training in media production came in handy. While hunkering down on the Oregon Coast, I learned about a contest sponsored by the industry nonprofit, Oregon Film. Intrigued, I created a short video about our little dog Freddie. It was one of over one hundred entries but won special recognition (and a cash prize) from Oregon Film! “Freddie’s Silver Lining” illustrated how quarantine can be a huge bummer for humans, but it is pretty sweet for a dog at home who suddenly has tons of attention.
An ambitious weekly writing commitment I started last January also keeps my skills sharp. It’s a personal blog called Dateaweekla.com. It has musings about dates that I go on, which have been very interesting during these times of social distancing. How do you get close to a prospective love interest when you’re six feet apart with a mask on? I’ve had setups/blind dates and gone on a few using dating apps. This experience made me more comfortable dating and I’ve met some awesome guys! We all need human connections. Still working on finding that perfect match. I’m also a big advocate of putting yourself out there! Some of my readers are trying it for themselves. Check it out at Date-A-Week.com!
Looking for a way to add new skills to my professional repertoire, I took time during quarantine to record a Voice Over reel! I had always wanted to record a reel but didn’t have the time. It was so much fun putting together the reel and I am super happy with the results. Shoutout to Houston of Rex Production in Portland for producing this reel! Take a listen and enjoy the ad for, “Pax my Pooin’ Pup.”
I’ve stayed active during the quarantine. We spent a lot of time in Manzanita, so I was able to walk on the beach every day, do yoga, take bike rides, hike, golf with my dad, and go crabbing, fishing, and clamming!
It should be noted that I went waterskiing on Lake Shasta and there’s video of a wipeout that will not be displayed here.
Oh, and I learned to rollerblade! I am not an expert, but I’ve still enjoyed this new sport and would love to rollerblade with any willing partner. Question: does putting together puzzles count as a skill? Because I must have done over 30 during my long quarantine nights. My Instagram has a tab showing my puzzles and cursing the missing pieces!
When I finally came back to LA, late this summer, it was still a ghost town with no auditions and casting. So, I’ve found a part-time job as a tutor/babysitter. Lots of working parents need help in LA because all classes are all online. I work with a little boy named Charlie, who’s a handful but has also found a place in my heart.
While I have your attention can I also add that I’m concerned about all the layers of craziness in the U.S. One thing that I strongly support is exercising your right to vote! So, to show my support for vote by mail via the post office, I joined some Malibu friends and I stood outside the Point Dume Post Office. We rallied and waved homemade signs to let the postal workers know we appreciate their work! Then, out of the blue, Cher showed up! She’s a Malibu local. Anyway, I introduced myself, mentioned a mutual friend, and got a picture with her. Meeting and taking a photo with Cher was a thrill. Her sign was an homage to her marquee moment in Moonstruck.
Lastly, I’ve been composing handwritten letters to people who didn’t vote last election. I’m trying to persuade them to get out and vote this year. I think an authentic and passionate plea could help motivate people to vote! I’m hoping that all people feel the pull to engage in our democracy! I, for one, will be excited to vote in November! Send me an email if you’d like info about writing letters to prospective voters.
In my spare time, I’ve also been reading a lot, catching up on series, and watching some terrific films that inspire me to become a better actor.
Some of my favorites have been the following:
Books
So You Want to Talk about Race? by Ijeoma Oluo, I Must Say – My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short, and A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir by SNL’s Colin Jost
Series
What We Do In the Shadows on Hulu, Normal People on Hulu, and Call the Midwife on Netflix
Movies
The Holiday (a fav of mine), Brittany Runs a Marathon, and Palm Springs
As I re-read this post, I’m actually surprised that I’ve made pretty good use of this unprecedented quarantine time. That said, I’d love it to be over.
Peace out, Isabel.
