Ridiculous On Many Levels.
A jolly start to the day. I drove T to preschool and she sang all the way. It went something like this (I think), “Off to school we go, off to school we go. Hey ho. Hey Ho. Off to school we go.” Clare had a big conference call with some producers in London about a script she’d been sent to read. She was getting stuck in to her creative flow when I got back so I hung around waiting for her to finish. After she hung up we headed off to the gym… we’ve become gym freaks and already have better bodies for it. The question is, can we keep up this athletic momentum? Of course we can. Positivity. That’s what it’s all about. I just wish I enjoyed being positive as much as I do being negative. Negativity is one of my favourite pastimes.
After working out Clare and I met up in the mixed (or as they call it out here co-ed) sauna. Clare mentioned that she felt a bit faint, what with the exercise followed by excessive heat. The weird thing is that just after saying this a Korean woman did just that. Fainted. Somebody called 911, probably a gym worker worried about lawsuits, and an ambulance was dispatched. At this point the woman started to panic. She was terrified that she’d be charged for calling out the ambulance. What a sorry state of affairs. This is the richest country on the planet and yet its citizens hold back on seeking medical attention from fear of how much it will cost. Meanwhile, how much does the government spend on warmongering? Trillions. That’s how much. Can someone in power please get their priorities straight? Oh look, a flying pig.
Just a couple of weeks ago I endured the mother of all flu strains. Back home I would have visited my local GP. I didn’t bother here because the cost would have been around $300 (including prescription). We’ve got insurance but there’s a $150 excess on the policy. The last time I visited a GP in England I was savvy enough to ask for an extra antibiotics prescription for T. I feel secure knowing that I can provide medicine for her next time she needs it without the whole palaver of paying to see a doctor. Back in England the chattering classes spend many a dinner party extolling the cons of the NHS. Yes there are waiting lists. Yes there are a lack of beds in hospitals. But live in a country where you pay through the roof for medical care and you soon realise just how lucky you are. Hurrah for the man responsible for launching the NHS… Clement Atlee (who just so happens to be Clare’s great-uncle btw).
Rant over and my earlier positivity has deserted me. But I feel great. Better out than in.
I start my first acting class tonight (when in Rome) and am filled with a sense of dread. It’s something I’ve been meaning to pursue since arriving in LA, just to see if I enjoy it. If I have any talent… bonus. The English voice in my head feels ridiculous and keeps saying, “What the hell are you doing you dick?” But the American voice, which is slowly getting louder, shouts, “Go for it, why not?!?” It’s this non-judgmental positivity (back to the p word again) that I love about America. YEAH! As they scream over here as they punch the air. I’ll let you know how the first session goes. Blimey, what will my fellow class mates be like? The English voice of reservation is back again. And it’s whispering menacingly, “Be afraid, be very afraid.”
You can check out my acting studio here.
