Okay, so the shoot last night was fine, if you don't mind arriving somewhere at 7pm and having nothing to do until 4am.  The actual shoot itself is great - an empty, quiet casino's a very weird place.  They're going bananas with how they name the slot machines - "Twice Your Monkey" is my new absolute favorite.  But "Lucky Lion Fish" is a close second.  WHAT??? :)

I hate seeing breakdowns for parts I'm right for and think I could do and KNOWING that I won't be called in to read for them. :)  I go through that "I wish I had a theatrical agent" whine and then this fabulous song from "She's Having a Baby" pops into my head - "You Just Haven't Earned it Yet Baby" by Kirsty Maccoll  :)  Patience, grasshopper.

So I have to be back at the casino at 7pm tonight.  Here's what I know about background work (and yet forget each time):

1.  Bring warm clothes.
2.  No, really.  WARM clothes.  Dress for the Arctic.
3.  I don't care if it IS Southern California.  That night I got sent home?  40 degrees.  And they shot it outdoors.  For hours.  In clubbing clothes. 
4.  I don't care if it IS indoors in Southern California.  Holding will be in the absolute coldest place they can find.  Tonight I will be taking wool socks, slippers, my heavy coat, gloves and possibly a sweater - all to wear over what I'm wearing IN the shoot.  I'm going to try and remember to take hand warmers too, just in case I need them for my feet.  I didn't need the gloves last night, oddly enough.
5.  Take multiple books.  Good books (like A Separate Peace by John Knowles) go fast when you have odd coworkers to ignore.
6.  Take a magazine or a crossword puzzle book or something too - you can become someone's best friend or get a break from that book you're trying to read 'cause you know you should but good GOD it's boring.
7.  Don't take cards (or dice) in if you're working in a casino.  Even if you're just in an unfinished basement room all night.
8.  Bored people are creative people.  There was quite the raucous quarters game going on in one corner.
9.  Take snacks.  Though I have to say that Gretchen is the sweetest craft services person ever (she set up an electric grill in the casino at 5am last night and made us grilled cheese sandwiches.)  And the food is good, and people who bitch about the food are snobbier than me.  I had salmon (a little dry but with a yummy stuffing) and asparagus and corn and fajita beef and mashed potatoes and gravy and they had this cute tray of yummy desserts... that was all catered by the casino, actually, which was a neat change for me.
10.  Expect to get out late.  REALLY late.
11.  Really consider buying your own chair.  With a footrest.  Don't DO it, of course, just resolve never to work background again.  Until the next time, then see #11.
12.  Make sure your cell phone is charged, especially if you can play Tetris on it.  Thank god for modern technology.
13.  If you're working multiple days, choose a low-maintenance hairstyle.  I am SO GLAD I got sent home the first day 'cause my hair was all curled and cute and good lord it was a pain to do, and I'd have had to do it 3 more days in a row and try and keep it looking that way for 11 hours each night... HA!  Plus, you don't want to put a coat hood or a blanket over your head when your hair is fussy.  :)

Well gosh, there's a bunch of useless info. :)  Considering I have an audience of what, maybe ONE PERSON? :)  That's okay, it gives me a place to babble.  Why is blogging so much more interesting than writing in a diary, I wonder?  Maybe it's the ego, the idea that lots of people are going to find you so fascinating....

Maybe I need more sleep. :)  Oh well, off to shower.