Thanksgiving is this week and this particular holiday always brings out many online posts about being grateful and thankful. Since English is not my mother tongue, I’ve always a been a bit confused about the meaning of and difference between ‘grateful‘ and ‘thankful‘. So, I googled it. This is the best answer I found: “Grateful means that you appreciate what someone has done for you and you want to express your thanks. Thankful means that you are relieved/pleased that what you hoped for has actually happened.”
I try to remind myself as often as possible throughout the year to be thankful for the good things in my life, even on my bad days. Compared to what is going on in the world right now, with so much violence, hate and intolerance, I got it pretty damn good. Yes, things don’t always go my way and there are disappointments and hurt, loss and obstacles; but they make you appreciate the good stuff so much more! As long as the balance tips to the positive, I’m good. Having said that, November started with the “Post-Halloween Blues” and a nasty cold that had me coughing hard enough to throw out my back (which has never happened before and I was like ‘wtf’???), but things got better quickly.
Since I basically quarantined myself the first 2 weeks in November, I had enough time at home, under my rock, to really dig in and start developing my next short film. And then I officially announced it on the 10th. Yay, I’m gonna make another movie!!! *gulp*. It’ll be a horror comedy – that’s all I’ll say for now :) And yes, there is already a rough script. I just need to polish it a little.
Then my lovely agent Pam got me a paid gig. Im so glad she hasn’t given up on me as an actress after I was so busy with my first self produced, written and c0-directed short film ‘The Appointment’. Thanks, Pam! I truly am grateful to have you in my life!
Playing audience member….. not soo glorious #actorlife, but such fun running into my actor friends! #smalltown#paidgig #moneyismoney
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Then my short film The Appointment had its 5th festival screening – at the Pictoclik Film Festival in San Francisco on Saturday, November 14th, woot! Congrats again, cast and crew! (Again – so grateful for all that you have done to make this film happen!)
And to top it off, the film got a cool review on its imdb page from TG Geeks! Thank you guys!
Sometime in mid October I submitted a video audition, got a callback and then got the acting gig for a short film called ‘Country People‘. It’s a very lovely, thoughtful drama and I get to play a role as a teacher, woot! It’s based on a story by Richard W. Hall; a gay novelist and playwright. Over the last weekend, the cast and crew got together to do some videotaping for its upcoming fundraising campaign. Again, a bunch of super cool people and I feel blessed to be part of this project!
We all hit it off right away…and this short film marks the 13th time that Mike Burnell and I are cast in the same film! HOLY COW! Again, small town :)
And last, but not least, another project I’ve been involved with (as Detective Helena Gruber) will have you forget all about the horror of that high calorie Thanksgiving meal you’re about to have:
PENANCE: Lover’s Quarrel ONLINE Premiere
So much to be grateful and thankful for! And that’s just November!
I hope you all have a safe, fun and happy Thanksgiving!
Pia Thrasher 