It’s all an act

I’m not sure that acting is something for a grown man to be doing.

American actor Steve McQueen was born on this day in 1930 (died 1980).

Oops.

Of course, McQueen made a few dozen films and a significant number of television appearances as an actor.

On a side note, I don’t think I had realized how young he was when he passed.

I’m not currently acting, but I remain actively involved in the theatre, either through working with writing groups, or ushering, or just seeing performances.

It’s funny, and I’ve talked about this, I chose 2017 to be the year I worked on writing and health, and I have, but the theatre opportunities in terms of acting, directing, and producing just seem to be multiplying.

I’m not sure if I’m supposed to resist the temptation or embrace the blessings.

Probably somewhere in between so that I don’t burn out in a blaze of glory. After all, what’s the purpose of that if you can’t guarantee the cameras are running?

I was never destined to have a career like Steve McQueen. It’s a true story that I didn’t pursue acting and theatre right out of college because I wasn’t the leading man type.

Okay, to be completely honest, I wasn’t pretty enough.

Do I wonder what life would have been like if I’d taken that path? Sure I do. But it does me no good to dwell on it.

Likewise, as I’ve said, with the writing. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if, just out of college, or even before graduation, I had acknowledged the fact that I’m a writer.

I mean, I did some writing in college and was good at it. I worked on the newspaper and edited the yearbook.

For whatever reason, I took a different path post graduation.

Again, do I wonder what life might have been like? Sure I do. In fact, on days like I’ve been having at the day job, I think about that a lot.

But I can’t change the past. Instead I try to learn from it.

In other words, be nice to me or you’ll end up in my book…perhaps briefly as a chalk outline…

I digress.

In a perfect world I’d be writing full time at the beach and be a moderately successful actor on the side.

I don’t want to burst your bubble, but it’s far from a perfect world.

On a side note, if you’re casting A Christmas Carol, I’d be perfect as Marley because I totally have a handle on the chains I forged in life.

Again, I digress.

I sort of think what McQueen meant with that quote was that he was having too much fun being an actor. I agree, it’s fun. But I’m sure McQueen would have also told you that it’s a lot of work.

Speaking of a lot of work, we’ve hit the weekend again and I’m off to work in an amusement park.

Sure I’m working seven days a week and most evenings. But it’s something I get to do. I stay in the day job because it allows me to do the fun stuff.

Whether it’s acting, or writing, or working a second job we all have to do the grown-up things.

And that’s okay.

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