Bubble, Bubble

 

With a phial full of wishes, a dash of aspirations (and perhaps a tiny pinch of desperation?), I finally brewed up in my cauldron an official call time which evoked my earthly presence at a local Studio (for thirteen episodes of a recurring Sit-Com in its third Season!!!).

Oh, I was already a-tingle as the Magic of Hollywood welcomed me once again into its bewitching environment...

There would be food!  There would be paychecks!  There would be all manner of cackling laughter!  (And did I mention there would be FOOD?) 

Yes, my cauldron doth bubble over! 

I’d already previously met the Cast on this particular show, and with the knowledge that my young Actor (22?) is an absolutely lovely lad (yes, I’ve been hired to stand-in for a male -- which really doesn’t seem to matter on a cable TV budget) I profoundly thanked The Universe profusely for my multitudes of bounty and blessed good fortune.

And with all due proper respect and gratitude for my penultimate night of personal mischief and mayhem last week, I ethereally wafted past the gargoyles in my living room; and reassembling my human form in the kitchen, I concocted an enchanting celebratory potion into a ruby glass goblet filled with eye of newt and toe of frog.  (Or, ya know, just voddy and diet tonic.) 

But yes, the Magic of Hollywood was a-swirl around me! 

Oh, I could feel the energy pulsating through my veins at the thrill of my upcoming adventures! 

I could almost mystically see into the future and practically taste the sweetness of fresh fruit and a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs, blueberry pancakes and bacon! 

Why, I could even smell the stale coffee grounds of...

Wait:  What the Hell was that SMELL???

Personally, I don’t like or drink coffee, but the indistinguishable “aroma” (stench to me) of the caffeinated bean had surreptitiously shrouded my presence and had begun on its own to ephemerally waft about my bat cave...

Good Heavens, what had I done?  After all, I’ve only ever used my mystic gifts for the greater good, but had my personal selfish wishes for financial gain caused some sort of brimstone pyre to ignite from the Netherworld?  Did I somehow upset the delicate balance of Good vs. Evil in my Sanctuary?  Was I being punished for dreaming huge of spectacular breakfasts and paychecks, without a proper appreciation for basically eight months of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at home? 

*BURP*

Standing motionless clutching my ruby red goblet, my cauldron (in this case, my kitchen basin), sans syrup of ipecac, involuntarily spit up on itself.

 

Hmm...

Oh but of course I was being ridiculous and making far too much out of the moment. 

After all, my singular new gainful employment back into the wondrous world of Hollywood couldn’t possibly upset The Universe, as I was but an insignificant twig on a branch of the Tinsel Town tree yearning for nothing more than to sprout and feed.

*BURP*  

 

Hmm...

Whilst I hadn’t necessarily been craving any food in particular at that precise enchanted moment, there next erupted the remnants of someone else’s supper from upstairs in the apartment building; once again bubbling down (and up) into my cauldron, and most unpleasantly leaving a greasy green residue of cilantro and a smattering of corn nibblets.

Hmm...

Now, whilst I’m forever a proponent for believing that The Universe conspires to assist us, my cauldron was on the verge of just being creepy.

Clearly my Yin and Yang were out of sync, and whilst I’ve avoided my Landlords as much as possible in order to protect the sanctity of my Sanctuary, I was probably going to have to request another plumber from Son of Deceased Landlord Yang.   (You have to love the irony of the surname). 

Oh, but yuck – yet another person in my home?  Couldn’t I just buy some Drano or bleach, or cast a spell over my garbage disposal with wing of bat?  (I have some unused left-over eye of newt!)

*BURP*

 

Hmm...

Yep, my cauldron didst indeed bubble over...

>>><<< 

On the work front, I’m delighted to inform you that I’ve been blessed with a great group of people that I know and love.  My second day involved a whopping 13 plus hours (a brutal shock to the system, but I couldn’t have been happier!), and with twelve more episodes, I’m excited to see what the future may bring.   

I even acquired my very first Security Pass at this Studio!  (It took me two tries as my incantations where incorrect regarding paperwork – plus apparently I needed the signature of an Authorized Production Wizard – but my wish finally came true!) 

And to top off an absolutely exquisite day of overtime pay, Son of Deceased Landlord Yang had indeed invoked the presence of someone who fixed my bubbling cauldron:

Yes, my Yin and Yang were once again in sink, um, that is to say, in sync!

And with a few (OK, a LOT) of swipes with a Mister Clean Magic Eraser (best product in the whole wide world whatever created), all evidence of a greasy-pawed mechanical-monkey in my Sanctuary disappeared as though the mere mortal had never even been there.  JOY!  

>>><<< 

Now, I’m not entirely sure why the darkness must always bubble into the light. 

Sure, I get that Nature has a delicate balance and I respect that.

But sometimes we need a greater force of Goodness on our side in order to triumph over the bleak.

“I can’t do it” I whimpered to my friend Kathila at work.  “I can’t open the envelopes...  Please help?” I woefully besieged my dear friend who is a God-Given Angel, and whom Evil would never deign to touch.  (Although trust me, she’s a hard-core New Yorker and doesn’t put up with any shit.)  “What do they say?” I whimpered as I cowered in my chair, trusting that whatever demons may lay waiting, Kathila would easily and effortlessly slay.

“Well... this is not so bad!” she rallied at the first disclosure.  (A force of Goodness, I tell you!) 

Yes, kind readers, the EDD saga continued:

 

 

(Oh, and did I mention that I received two more forms the next day?  Awesome.)

>>><<< 

With one more giant manila envelope, yet another USPS tracer and seven copies of my last Residual Statements copied, stapled separately to a hand-written letter and highlighted to reflect all important information; as well as my entire parcel of triplicate (?) quadruplicate (?) forms, I shipped off my paperwork and let it go.

>>><<< 

And then the true Magic happened...

As of last Friday, the EDD has (all by itself!) opened a new claim for me for 2014 to assist in my hiatus weeks; the only additional form I received was for the first week of this year; and by the Grace of God, my AD texted me with the next call time at the Studio -- where I shall be blessed to ethereally waft past the Background Actors waiting to check in at the Security Gate -- and once again reassemble my human form on the sound stage where I belong.

Moderately terrified to admit to being happy lest lightening smite me,

~Truly Blessed and Temporarily Trouble-Free P