UPDATE! UPDATE! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Things have been a wee bit busy this past week between shooting the design show pilot, having friends in town, birthdays galore, and following the SAG negotiations and AFTRA contract ratification. So, I thought I would bring you up to speed on things, while I had a quick moment and before yet another busy bee week.

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about hoping to maintain a union of unity on the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) actors union front. Many things have happened since then.

AFTRA is the nation’s 2nd largest performers’ union and basically represents actors, recording artists and broadcasters. On July 8th Its members cast their vote, on whether to accept the new contract or not. Despite actors of both unions, like myself, being encouraged by SAG to vote “no” on the new AFTRA contract, the three-year primetime television agreement was ratified by a very large, 62.4% margin.

What this means is that SAG now has less leverage to get all they have been busy negotiating for their members and it may make the possibility of an actor’s strike less likely. That said, SAG rejected the final offer given by the big Hollywood studios and has chosen for now to continue pushing forward. Due to this, a deadline has been given to SAG by the studios stating that they will not make any pay increases that are agreed retroactive to July 1st unless the deal is ratified by August 15th.

I plan to keep you posted on all the updates and will try to blog more frequently as things on the actor’s union front unfold. ‘Till then, I will be busy shooting the design show pilot, which surprisingly has been perfecting my painting skills, of all things, before heading into the studio to record my voiceovers for the episode. Speaking of painting, I am thinking about adding it as a “special skill” on my resumé, since it is slowly becoming one of my undesired talents.

Working with everyone has been so much fun, and I simply love the children, whose rooms we are reorganizing and redecorating. They inspire me, as most children do, and keep things new, interesting, fun and, best of all, silly! Proof of this can be seen in the many pictures that have been taken during the shoot, thus far, and I have added a few of them below for your viewing pleasure.

Aside from that, friends and family are coming in from out of town, now through September. Also, there have been a number of birthdays to celebrate, not only this past week, but in the weeks ahead, as well, including mine in August! So, now that I have updated you, and before I age yet another year, I must make the most of the days ahead and fully enjoy the rest of summer, before it is over!

“I’d update my resume so you’re ready for any outcome.” – Bob Weinstein