Work + Money

The sunlight is flooding through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Hearst Building. And I have to stretch my neck up over the top of my square cubicle so I can see outside. Pity. This is the kind of day I'll spend fantasizing about other jobs that take me away from the computer. The kind of day I'll spend fantasizing about the life of my friend, the Voice Over Actress.

She takes vacations whenever she wants, has time for lunch, gets to hang out in different parts of the city and is never, ever, stuck at a desk. "The best part is in between appointments, instead of staring at my computer or IM-ing with a friend, I take myself to see a movie, go shopping or browse through books at Barnes and Noble," she says. And this is a busy week! Sure, there is always the freelancer-like fear of a down period and an unsteady paycheck. But right now, she's doing well. And it's 70 degrees and I'm jealous. My friend, the Voice Over Actress, outlined her week for me. I peek at it every now and again when I'm in the mood for self-inflicted torture. Total hours worked: 10 hours, 15 minutes.

MONDAY: 9 - 9:30 am -- Perfect an audition for commercial I recorded the night before in my home recording studio. Email to an agent for a submission to ad agency. 10:30 am -11 am -- Audition for radio spot at casting agent's office in midtown. 11:30 -12:30 -- voice - over job in midtown. 1 pm -- Audition for a different radio spot at a casting agent's office in midtown south. Call my best friend who also has his own hours to see if he's free for lunch.... He is....We eat sushi on Irving Place. Then I'm done for the day. Stop at TJ Maxx for a bit of shopping on the way home....

TUESDAY: 11:15 -12 pm voice-over job for radio spot at recording studio in Soho. 12:55 pm -- Audition at Public Service Announcement radio spot at casting agency office, by Macy's. 2 pm - 2:30 pm -- Voice over job (my semi-regular gig) in midtown. Then, walk slowly to my next gig so I'm not too early. 3:30 - 4:30 pm -- voice-over Job (another semi- regular gig) in midtown east. Done for the day. 8:30 - 9:30 pm -- Record audition at home for TV and radio spots. Email to agent for submission to ad agency.

WEDNESDAY: Wake up super late! 3:30 - 4 pm -- Record voice over audition in home recording studio. Email to agent for submission.

THURSDAY: 10:30 am -- Voice-over job in midtown. Have lots of time to kill, so go see a 12:30 pm showing of "The Other Boleyn Girl." 2:50 pm -- Voice-over audition in Gramercy. 3:30 pm -- Go to my agent's office in the Flatiron district to audition for a video game voice. They submit audition to ad agency. 4:15 pm -- Voice-over audition at casting agent's office next to Port Authority. Since these last three appointments are close together and all over the place, I go to the first appointment early...hoping that I might be a little early to everything but at least I won't be late. Done for the day.

FRIDAY: 10:30-11am -- Go to my agent's office to record an audition in the agency's recording studio. 12 pm -- Another audition. 1-2 pm -- Meet my friend again for lunch! This time in Union Square. Done for the day. Done for the week!