How The Beverly Hills Playhouse Came To My Rescue
My last post was June 2012. I was working on some drafts late June, early July; then I started a new "side job" in August - or as InsideActingPodcast calls it, a "thrival job". (As I've said before, My FAVORITE podcast, check it out.) Shortly after I started the new job, I received the unexpected news that my father had passed away.
Let me start by saying that my father and I had been estranged for many years. I live in Arizona and he lived in Ohio, and I hadn't spoken to him since the mid 90's. There's a story here. A very terrible, and disturbing story that explains why I dropped out of my college theatre program in 1993 with barely a goodbye. (I returned 5 years later which I talk about in an earlier post.) This part of my life I'm saving for the someday-to-be-published "Autobiography of My Life" which we all keep mental notes on for a far off; imaginary; when-we-have-enough-fans-who-care; or Mark Twain style 100-years-after-my-death release date.
With that being said, the passing of a parent is difficult enough. He was young, only 62 years old. He had no idea that when he checked himself into the hospital for tests that morning, he'd be leaving this world behind. I have struggled over his death even more because of our history, and I am unique in that struggle because my siblings did not have the same relationship with our father that I did. I share all of this with you, to speak to my absence in communication, and to share with you the timeline of how I almost lost my domain (an enviable one) www.LivingtheDreamActing.com.
Sometime in early October, I attempted to get back to writing. I was still in the initial stages of the grieving process, and my head still wasn't clear, but I wanted to attempt a level of normalcy again, I wanted to focus on something creative and cathartic. So, I went to my site and noticed that I had a "comment awaiting moderation". I thought "Wow, how exciting!" (This is also a pitch for comments - I love to get mail and feedback!) I opened the comment which read like this -
Christina, I am the marketing guy at the Beverly Hills PlayhouseActing School. I was making my usual search of interesting URLs for sale and yours popped up. I followed it to your blog-- Your blog is beautiful and I don't want it to go away so I purchased your domain. Please contact me at...and I will transfer it back to you. Please keep writing! B
My first reaction was "Huh?" I had to read it 2 more times until the fog in my brain began to clear. "What do you mean you purchased my domain. I have my domain, I have my blog, I'm on it right now. This must be some kind of a scam." (Then I began to panic.) "I didn't get any notices from Google! I didn't get any notices from GoDaddy! There must be some mistake! (breathe!) I'm just going to ignore it! (Breath - inhale 1, exhale 1, inhale 2, exhale 2..............inhale 10, exhale 10...aah.) Okay, I must be missing something." So I leave my blogging site and try to access LivingtheDreamActing.com, and sure enough the page is gone and in its place a random ad site.
For those unfamiliar with the Beverly Hills Playhouse, it is a well known acting school with sites in L.A., New York, and San Francisco. It was originally founded by the now deceased Milton Katselas and boasts a formidable list of famous alumni. Their website shares a partial list of immediately recognizable names - George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin, Jorge Garcia, Giovanni Ribisi, and Kate Hudson.
I contacted "B" at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and after a phone conversation and a few email messages, he did exactly what he said he would do. He transfered the domain back to me (as long as I promised to keep writing), and invited me to touch base next time I'm in L.A. Who does that?! I mean in this day and age! I hate to admit it, but despite the fact that I work very hard at being a positive person, my first inclination was one of scepticism...distrust...worry...and nervousness. I'm so glad I was proven wrong. All I can say is Awesome! I have a vision for the expansion of this site, and if it wasn't for "B"'s good deed...well no use in going there.
More great things to come this year including the expansion of LivingtheDreamActing.com, that I can't wait to share. In the meantime check out this video from the Beverly Hills Playhouse Youtube channel, and check out their website at www.bhplayhouse.com. And as always, stay the course!
Let me start by saying that my father and I had been estranged for many years. I live in Arizona and he lived in Ohio, and I hadn't spoken to him since the mid 90's. There's a story here. A very terrible, and disturbing story that explains why I dropped out of my college theatre program in 1993 with barely a goodbye. (I returned 5 years later which I talk about in an earlier post.) This part of my life I'm saving for the someday-to-be-published "Autobiography of My Life" which we all keep mental notes on for a far off; imaginary; when-we-have-enough-fans-who-care; or Mark Twain style 100-years-after-my-death release date.
With that being said, the passing of a parent is difficult enough. He was young, only 62 years old. He had no idea that when he checked himself into the hospital for tests that morning, he'd be leaving this world behind. I have struggled over his death even more because of our history, and I am unique in that struggle because my siblings did not have the same relationship with our father that I did. I share all of this with you, to speak to my absence in communication, and to share with you the timeline of how I almost lost my domain (an enviable one) www.LivingtheDreamActing.com.
Sometime in early October, I attempted to get back to writing. I was still in the initial stages of the grieving process, and my head still wasn't clear, but I wanted to attempt a level of normalcy again, I wanted to focus on something creative and cathartic. So, I went to my site and noticed that I had a "comment awaiting moderation". I thought "Wow, how exciting!" (This is also a pitch for comments - I love to get mail and feedback!) I opened the comment which read like this -
Christina, I am the marketing guy at the Beverly Hills PlayhouseActing School. I was making my usual search of interesting URLs for sale and yours popped up. I followed it to your blog-- Your blog is beautiful and I don't want it to go away so I purchased your domain. Please contact me at...and I will transfer it back to you. Please keep writing! BMy first reaction was "Huh?" I had to read it 2 more times until the fog in my brain began to clear. "What do you mean you purchased my domain. I have my domain, I have my blog, I'm on it right now. This must be some kind of a scam." (Then I began to panic.) "I didn't get any notices from Google! I didn't get any notices from GoDaddy! There must be some mistake! (breathe!) I'm just going to ignore it! (Breath - inhale 1, exhale 1, inhale 2, exhale 2..............inhale 10, exhale 10...aah.) Okay, I must be missing something." So I leave my blogging site and try to access LivingtheDreamActing.com, and sure enough the page is gone and in its place a random ad site.
For those unfamiliar with the Beverly Hills Playhouse, it is a well known acting school with sites in L.A., New York, and San Francisco. It was originally founded by the now deceased Milton Katselas and boasts a formidable list of famous alumni. Their website shares a partial list of immediately recognizable names - George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin, Jorge Garcia, Giovanni Ribisi, and Kate Hudson.
I contacted "B" at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and after a phone conversation and a few email messages, he did exactly what he said he would do. He transfered the domain back to me (as long as I promised to keep writing), and invited me to touch base next time I'm in L.A. Who does that?! I mean in this day and age! I hate to admit it, but despite the fact that I work very hard at being a positive person, my first inclination was one of scepticism...distrust...worry...and nervousness. I'm so glad I was proven wrong. All I can say is Awesome! I have a vision for the expansion of this site, and if it wasn't for "B"'s good deed...well no use in going there.
"B", from The Beverly Hills Playhouse, I couldn't be more grateful!
And I'll definitely take you up on that other offer we talked about!
Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
And I'll definitely take you up on that other offer we talked about!
Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
More great things to come this year including the expansion of LivingtheDreamActing.com, that I can't wait to share. In the meantime check out this video from the Beverly Hills Playhouse Youtube channel, and check out their website at www.bhplayhouse.com. And as always, stay the course!
