No, I didn’t fall off of the wagon… I just fell asleep… on my knees.
I began the morning like I had always wanted to as a kid: rushing to work, stuck in endless traffic, and sipping scalding hot coffee out of a stubbornly-efficient to-go mug.
No, actually, the best parts of the job are what comes next, getting to work on a television show in Hollywood. The mere mention of that fact still gives me goosebumps. I made that happen. I took that first step.
9-1-1 was intense today. We had the entirety of our First Team* on set today, and it was a challenge, but – as always – we pulled it off. During our hour lunch, I was tasked with grabbing the Second Assistant Director, the Script Supervisor, and the DP’s lunches. I hopped in the first van but got stuck in heavy traffic. By the time I got there, I had already lost twelve minutes. After I got the meals, I debated if I should get mine or wait until I come back. I chose to feed myself as well (considering every snack we have [like a nacho bar] is a sinful no-no in my diet), and I was starving.
Unfortunately, there were no vans available at basecamp to return to the set where the hungry leaders were (im)patiently waiting. I stood with four to-go boxes on my trying to finagle my way to the second one to reach any piece of my pending meal. God, this diet made me appreciate every damn morsel.
Finally, after another fifteen minutes, a van returned, and I hopped in with the other (fed) crew members. I pried open the styrofoam casing that entombed my sustenance, but the bonus cookie I picked up for the First ADs friend – yet another tease for my diet – sat atop the four boxes, sliding with every jostling pothole.
Shit.
The impatience grew as my stomach attempted to match the ferocity, and I nearly gave into the cookie. It was right there below my nose. I could almost see the cartoon smell lines dancing the mamba up to my willing nostrils. It wouldn’t be long before I sunk my teeth deep into the Major Whole30 Reset button… with chocolate chips.
I fought my urges and landed the van amidst a crowd of angry texts and walkie chatter. I delivered my food – like a grenade in a war zone – and walked out to the front of the set to chow down my own meal in the ten minutes I had remaining before they squawked “BACK IN! BACK IN!”
My meal consisted of chicken breast, pork tenderloin, broccoli, boiled potatoes, and the thirst-quenching watermelon. The meat was delicious, but oh so dry, without the accompanying au jus or sauces. I can’t give into such frivolous cheats now. I already resisted In-N-Out and that blasted cookie thus far; things were going well.
I choked down the food as fast as possible and felt… ill. The thing that those who yelled forgot was that I, too, had not eaten yet in those fifty minutes either.
[PHOTO HERE]
Yeah, I had no time to take a photo.
When I arrived home after this insanely long day, I sat down, watched a YouTube video, and then made supper. I reheated the last of my ground beef, fried some fresh potatoes, and ate both with hot sauce and my homemade ranch.
MMM HMM! I had wished I had a quick fix instead of cooking.
As I put my homemade ranch away, I saw the large portions of Shepard’s Pie staring me in the face. Duh.
My day-long endurance run had begun to reveal itself behind my heavy eyelids. I laid down on the carpeted floor and crashed within seconds.
I awoke a few hours later and sat in the nearby chair. I fell asleep in the chair, again, within seconds. Then I awoke and tried to stand up to at least brush my teeth. I kneeled over our ottoman reading my phone to stay awake.
…I awoke several hours later with the sorest knees this side of the Mississippi. I sat back down on the chair and awoke on the chair once more, hours later. This time, I was nearing the time for which I had to wake to start the day over.
Another day, another dollar, and yet, another day in paradise.
God, I love my job.
-Jamie (@GuyOnAWire)
*First Team refers to the actors on set that day.
Jamie writes about himself a lot. Yeah, he knows that can be irritating, but he hopes that people can learn from his mistakes, like when he had cancer and waited too long to chase his dream. Learn more about his battle with Leukemia (AML) in his on-going first draft of his book here.
GuyOnAWire 
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