There Is No Plan B

Recently I've been listening to a lot of podcasts about how people have made it in the movie industry. It's weird. A lot of named actors who've buck'd the odds and carved a niche for themselves have one common theme...they had no Plan B.

It got me thinking about a friend. He recently moved from his apartment of many years and has couch surf'd until he can buy himself a van to live in. Whilst many of our "mature" ideas go to the idea that we  can no longer suffer this transient living, you have to admit...your life isn't as interesting.

At first I was taken back by this. It's a life that I've spent years working to live against. A comfortable living. So naturally I was curious as to why anyone would want to revisit this life. Then it occurred to me how more free his life must be. I think about living in Hollywood years back when I would collect cans to buy a pizza. I didn't need/have internet. Hardly watched television. Walked amongst the homeless in Hollywood and had dreams. That was a big factor. The ease of which complacency can creep into your adult life. Complacency is bad. It's more destructive than rejection. It's insidious because you feel that if you live a day to day life of three hot meals and a paycheck, you're doing alright for yourself. For most, this is okay. For the creative side, this is DEATH. A slow agonizing death.

Yes, he is taking a chance. Living an existence without certain comforts is a hassle. BUT, I argue, the more things come into your life, the more you either worry about them, or fight to maintain. This isn't what we live for. We don't live for our stuff.

My car broke down the beginning of last week. I took to renting a car. Yes, renting a car, since the inconvenient part of me couldn't do without that convenience. The younger version of myself would've laughed at me now. Because that younger man would've bucked up and high-tailed it on foot. Thus saving my own money for other, more important things in life. Eventually, I returned the car. Only to have my car go out again. This time at 4AM and NO mechanic to rely on. It was like the universe forcing me into survival. This time, my lame ass took a cab to work. A CAB! Yeah, I could tell you that I didn't have time for a bus, or that I couldn't find a way. But in a panic, here I was, in the backseat of some taxi driver Uncle Fester lookin' dude who spoke no English. I shared with him my thoughts on cab riding. He could care less. Well, this time, I was resigned to hump it back to the Valley from Hollywood. I hiked up Hollywood and took the Redline to North Hollywood station. There, I considered taking a bus, but ended up walking the rest of the leg back home. I dunno what it was. But it was just...a great feeling. Something about NOT having to rely on machinery. Allowing my feet to carry me forward. Slowing down and watching people. Observing the world. The neighborhood. Yes, North Hollywood is a junk pile. BUT, there are a LOT of interesting things to see. Things I made mental notes to revisit. Things that I would've missed had I spent 15 minutes in my car getting back home versus the three hours on foot.

I thought the whole time about my friend who takes the public mass transit system. Watching people is so interesting to me, I forgot how much it amused me to be elbow to elbow with society. I think L.A. is handicapped for that reason. That people would rather drive past things never absorbing their environment, then to slow down and see where they live. I think I've grown an appreciation for living on the move.

Oh, going back to Plan B. So my friend is headstrong in making his living out of a van. Most actors who become anyone, don't have a fallback. To make it in show business, Plan Bs are bad. I've heard SO many success stories starting out with either they make it or they die. There is no other choice. Now, what seems extreme to most of us, I find it liberating. Think about those people who take corporate jobs. This is a safety net, which causes the very slow death of drive. There is no more hunger. There is no more struggle. They've flatlined. A person who lives in a van has conviction. Has faith. Has    inexplicable moxie, whilst the rest of us still wonder what it is we're suppose to do.

Most of us who laugh at dreamers don't have enough dreams to occupy our own time. Those who judge dreamers, never had the restitution to commit to our own goals. There should not be a Plan B. It is or it isn't your life. And we only have one.