Sittin, Waitin, Wishin

Have you ever been in a place where you knew a life changing event was going to take place? Where you literally knew the timeframe you had and the only thing you could do was absolutely nothing? You just had to sit back and be a bystander of your own life? Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome you to the life and times of Wes Tate.

I would venture to say that this was life, for the most part, in Los Angeles for someone trying to break into the entertainment industry. You see a posting for a role so you submit yourself in hopes they want you to come audition. Then you sit, wait and wish for a phone call asking you to come audition. If you get that phone call then you go audition and then sit, wait and wish for a call saying they want you to come back. Then if you make it that far you have to sit, wait and wish for a phone call saying you got the part. Lots of sitting, waiting and wishing.

At this point, I have been on four auditions and have received one callback. That callback, turned into another callback. Then that callback informed me that it was between one guy and myself for a part!

And now we sit, wait and wish.

Around the third week of May I will be shooting a "sizzle" for a new reality show. A sizzle is basically a promo reel for a reality show in order to pitch it to the networks in hopes the show gets picked up. The thing is that my competition will also be shooting the same sizzle in the same role that I am. The producers have yet to decided which of us they want in the show. They like us both and do not want to loose either, but have to. So after we both shoot the sizzle they will choose who makes the cut.

This opportunity is potentially a game changer for me and at this point there is nothing I can do, for an entire month and some days! But sit, wait and wish... and pray of course!

I am kind of at peace about this. I know that it is out of my hands and that God is in control. I know that I have done what I can and if God wants me to have this role, I will. So, only time will tell!

Blessed Be Your Name

Have you ever had a terrible day or week immediately followed by the polar opposite day or week? That has just happened to me! Two weeks ago was collectively one of the worst weeks I have had in Los Angeles. Nothing seemed to go my way. I could not get booked for any work. I could not get a response from the agent that contacted me. I kept getting rejected for background work... background work. I mean if you cannot get cast for background you might as well hang it up. It is worse than being picked last for dodgeball; at least that kid got to play, I was told to just stay inside. It sucked.

How does the saying go? When you are down there is only one way to go, and that is up? Well last week was the absolute best week out here! I was booked to work four days! Three of those days I got overtime and the other day I got featured! Which means I may get a credit and can put it on my actors resume! Currently that resume only consist of theatre productions preformed last decade by the prestigious Holt High School Drama Club. This week was such a huge blessing. I could not believe how perfect the week was. To close off the week, Sunday I had an audition that went really well! In fact, earlier today I got a call back, meaning I am one step closer to getting the part! Not thirty minutes after getting that call I received another for an audition this Thursday. I am so excited!!

Despite the excitement of the week and my Sunday audition, came the one year reminder of my Grandmother's passing. That day at church we sang "Blessed Be Your Name."

Wow.

I was moved to tears. This moment could not have better summed up the past two weeks. This passage and song can be such a hard pill to swallow sometimes. It can be hard to see God's love during the hard times and pain. We can be quick to anger and question God instead of giving him praise. "Blessed Be Your Name," I believe is arguably one of the greatest worship songs written in our lifetime. It reminds us that God is always in control, always loves, always has a plan and always is praiseworthy.