...couscous...

Class is in session. I am being stretched and stressed and that’s when the party starts and the learning begins.

I will say that these ideas and concepts I’m learning are far from revolutionary. It is only that they have been packaged differently. It’s a “new twist on an old classic,” said the description I read at a restaurant about the PB&J sandwich.

I am in a place of inner tension and struggle. I find myself often trying to find that line between being focused and driven and hustling to make it and the other side of being open to what God has for me. Recently I was reading in a devotional book put together my Jim Branch (highly recommend the book…and Jim, for that matter) and I came to the theme of “letting go.” I thought, “o.k. whatever…let go, letting go…let’s just go.”

But in the pages of the excerpts and some of the scripture I have found new words and new ways to articulate what’s going on inside me and what NEEDS to go on.

For anyone who is an over-thinker, analyzer, planner and control freak (you know who you ar—others do too) the idea of being detached and letting go is about as enticing as walking up steep hills backwards pulling a boat—no doubt, soon to be a strong man competition event on ESPN. I’m sure it works for some people but it’s just not for me!

“St. John of the Cross lamented, ‘The desires weary and fatigue the soul; for they are like restless and discontented children, who are ever demanding this or that from their mother, and are never contented.’ Detachment is coming to the place where those demanding children are at peace.”—John Eldredge

Sometimes struggling isn’t so much the wrestling and push and pull that we normally think about but more so the struggle to float, let go, tumble and be led.

Can I trust God’s heart? Absolutely!

Enter stage left Genesis 22 (today’s scripture). Abraham is “tested by God” and told, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Sooooo “Abraham rose early in the morning…” and got his son and went up to the mountain.

WHAT?! I refuse to believe Abraham just “rose” in the morning. Was there no struggle? Was there no, “was this God or bad couscous?” Was there no wrestling and pleading with God? How well did he sleep that night? I mean kill your son? That is crazy. God is crazy—meaning the absence of logic. That’s what makes truly following God a crazy endeavor.

Am I willing to work hard to be an actor (and honestly it’s hard work) and then have Him say, “O.k. that’s it. I want you to leave all your work and time and energy and painful uncertainty and do something else.” I would wonder if it were the couscous!

“ ‘An authentic spiritual understanding of detachment devalues neither desire nor the objects of desire.’ Instead, it ‘aims at correcting one’s own anxious grasping…’”

So that’s where I am. I am learning to let go in order to ease my anxious, restless inner-child from wrestling, struggling and just plain wearing myself out and trust God and only God. I think that’s what Paul was getting at in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

Everything else is a variable. All I can KNOW and all I can be SURE of is “Christ and him crucified.”

That’s all.

...West Hollywood party...

So I was JT for a Halloween party with Meg-O. It was pretty crazy. Maggie and Jake Gylenhall were there and I was like, "How do I know them?" Oh yeah I've seen them before. Also we saw Clive Owen but he was there for only a little bit. I'm pretty much kidding about all this. I did, however, dress like JT.

I'M bringing sexy back.

I'll let you know when it gets here.

...anybody seen Mr. Timberlake...

Being in LA has been really great so far. I will say, however, I have not made as many friends over these past 2 months that I had from being in Knoxville for 22 years. So it was great to go to my friend Lauren Johnson's wedding this past weekend in the ATL and reconnect with people I don't have to 'get to know.' Hanging out with college friends I had not seen (save briefly at Chris Jessen's wedding in June) in a few years and catching up with them was a great highlight!

There was dancing, great food and more importantly, great friends. It is refreshing to have people in your life you can simply pick right up with. This link is for my friend (and business partner) Eric Yang's pics from the wedding. You can take a look at the rehearsal dinner, wedding and candid fun.

Enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/midweekpost/271303263/

...drum roll

As promised here are pics from the conference from a few weekends ago.
Sal Chipeta (me) and Al Lee (Brian Thurman)

...just one of those days

Well it's official. I am truly a Los Angelean. I wrecked my car the other day. It looks worse that it is but I rear-ended a car. There was a guy turning into a parking lot in his early 90s Accord. He decided to not use his turn signal and when I was behind him I glanced down to make sure the dominoes were back in their box (long story) and when I looked up I was on his bumper. I have never been in a wreck before and it's weird. I mean I was only going about 20 mph b/c the airbag didn't even go off but I can still feel the feeling of moving and then suddenly stopping. It's very strange. Luckily this will dramatically raise my insurance since in CA you have to have a clean record for 6 years to get the ''good driver'' discount.

I can drive during the day without too much problem. Today I had to stop and disconnect the left turn signal because it was hanging off my car like an eyeball with the Optic nerve attached. My lights work but at night they act more like a signal to landing airplanes due to their off-angled positioning. So I don't drive at night.

Anyway, I'm waiting on my insurance to get this whole thing taken care of but admittedly it's humbling for someone who loves cars to try to drive this thing around town.

Surfin' USA

There are things in my life I want to do before I die. There are places I want to go and things I want to see, people to meet, events to be around, etc. Surfing was one of those things.

CHECK THAT OFF!

So it's October 7, 2006 and what else would I be doing other than surfing? It's a beautiful day in SoCal and my friend Julius has a board, wet suit, surfing wisdom and more importantly, patience. My friend from Charlotte Kelly was in town before she moves to San Diego ("I don't think anyone really knows what that means"--R.Burgundy) so it worked out that we met up with Julius and his wife in beautiful San Clemente. It's between LA and San Diego south of Laguna Beach (pop fiends) and in Orange County (the OC). The water temperature was 61 degrees in this small ocean town full of color and character.

Imagine meshing the "Bible homes" of "Bible times" (I still say 'big church' too) and the styles of the 70s. You get adobe-like stucco homes with electricity, gas and crazy blinds.

So we set off in the morning around 11 and were suited up and in the water pretty quickly. Julius gave me some pointers and then it was pretty much learn by trying. In my case it was learn by face planting in the sand a number of times. None-the-less, I learned. I wasn't out there shredding and looking like a seasoned pro but I was quite satisfied with my first day's showing. I look forward to many more times in the water. More importantly I need to get a surf rack for my car. (I also need to get Cali plates, a Cali license and a surfboard....but the rack first!)

I can see how people really get into it and I'm excited to add surfing to my list of things I like to do.

Hopefully by the time you come out to LA I will have a better handle on it and we can go.

I hope all is well with those who read this.

ps: about 35 pics on Flick'r courtesy Kelly Moore Photography so check it out

...just an update fo ya

Well I must apologize for the obvious lack of postings as of late on my Blog. We can all thank Angie Miller's persistence in reminding me of this obvious laziness on my part.

So what have I been up to?

Well let's see I'll work backwards: I am currently in Atlanta doing conference entertainment with Brian Thurman. Centex construction is having their annual managers meeting and Brian and I are Sal Chipeta and Al Lee: The World's Best Anti-Motivational speakers, "period." So that's been fun writing the three scene script and working with power point. The idea is that we are here to demotivate people. It's pretty fun!

I got in Saturday at midnight and will be here till Tuesday afternoon then back to LA. Last week I flew to ATL for preliminary stuff on Monday and got in at midnight, met all day Tuesday then back on the plane and home for a late dinner Tues night in LA. Crazy!!

The past few days before that I have been in acting class or server training from either 9-12 or 12:30-3 with two per day. Then I would train at night from 6-10ish at the other locations of the Farm restaurant. I am excited about this job because I really do love the atmosphere of the restaurant industry and I love food. I'm learning alot and getting some great ideas for new food to cook--of course I love that I get good food at a pretty discounted rate.

I also have been working on those scripts and completing my mail out of my headshots/resume/cover letter to 170 agents and 40 managers. That took a while to staple all the resumes to my headshot, add the coverletter add labels, stamps and return labels then seal (using the brad on the back of those big manilla envelopes). Out of that I have three interviews with agents--two this week so please pray for discernment for both parties on that.

I also went to the girls' (Sophie and Maddie) first gymnastics class and that was so great. These girls are so freakin' awesome. Brian and Sarah have done a phenomenal job raising them and I'm still gleaning a great amount of wisdom and practical knowledge about raising girls.

So coming up this week is (as I said) my interviews with the agents, the grand opening of The Farm in the new mall--which is going to be a massive opening. Also I have to register for my classes with groundlings so I will be adding another 2x per week commitment. In two weekends I will again be in ATL as I come back for Lauren Johnson's wedding. LJ and I go back to college. She's like a sister to me and I'm really excited to be able to be at this big day!

So that's the update. I'm sorry no pics this time but I'll work to change that.

Much love to my friends around the world.

ps: recent inspiration has been watching the 'making of' features on Crash, Garden State and the movie Little Miss Sunshine and the show Studio 60