David Chiu

2006 ended pretty uneventfully with H and I working on freelance projects till 2am in the new year. We did pause briefly for a ceremonial toast at midnight and to view the neighborhood fireworks show - but we then continued working. Don’t feel sorry for us. H chose to work on a rush project that was due the 2nd of Jan, and I chose to continue work on one of our side projects in the hopes of finishing it before my holiday vacation ended (it’s still not finished). But this leads to my goals for 2007: To be Smarter, Stronger, Faster, Louder and transform every aspect of my life.

1. Be Smarter
Currently I work around 60-hours a week as a web developer on projects at work and freelance projects after work.

And I call myself an actor.
It’s a vicious circle because being an actor can be financially intensive. There’s monthly classes, photo sessions, photo duplication, online directory service(s), union dues, play books, etc, etc, etc. So in order to continue investing in my acting career and afford everything else in my life, I need an additional money. The easiest way I know how to make money is by doing freelance web development work. And luckily the freelance work is plentiful. But each project takes time, and - well you see where this is going.

So in 2007 I will work smarter. Not harder. I will no longer take on any freelance work unless absolutely necessary. H and I will also work on our finances so we spend less and save more. And instead of just using money to invest in my acting career, I will use my digital media production skills and knowledge to promote myself - as well as perform more frequently in different venues. I will no longer just sit around taking classes waiting for my agent to send me on some audition in the hopes that a casting director will choose me. I will instead create my own opportunities by being more creative and visible.

Hey if Dane Cook can do it, why can’t I?

I also want to start reading more. Books that is - not just magazines and blogs which is my current fare. I know it would enrich my creative mind. I just need to train myself to not fall asleep after reading 5 pages.

In addition I would like to become conversational in Spanish and Mandarin. Spanish - because I took 4 years of Spanish in high school and college and can still speak and comprehend some spanish. Mandarin because I’m half Chinese and it would just be good to know.

2. Be Stronger
It all started in college when one day I picked up a Muscle and Fitness/ magazine and I decided to get “Buff”. It’s been 12 years and even with the “help” of almost every legal supplement under the sun, I still have not accomplished my fitness goal. It’s not that I want to look like a muscular freakshow. I just want to look like I belong on the cover of Mens Health. Vain? Yes. But currently it’s my only hobby, and it also happens to be a healthy way of life. At the end of 2006 I’m 180lbs 20% bodyfat. My current max bench is 200lbs, squat - 135lbs, deadlift - 225lbs. I’m also only able to do 30 push-ups and 5 chin-ups. In 2007 I’m hoping to be 180-190lbs with at most 10% bodyfat. I’d also like to max out on bench, squat and deadlift at 250lbs and be able to bang out 100 pushups and 20 chin-ups.

3. Be Faster
I’m definitely not a runner. I never have been. Throughout middle school and the beginning of high school I always had a note to excusing me from certain PE activities because I had asthma. As an adult I no longer have asthma but my running endurance lasts for about a 12 min mile. Then I’m out of breath. So, in 2007, I intend to run a 6min mile and a 5k. I look to Dean Karnazes for inspiration.

4. Be Louder
I grew up an introvert with an inner voice screaming inside my head wanting to be heard. For most of my life I’ve expressed myself through music - violin, piano, song and dance. Then after dropping out of college, I decided to become an actor. 11 years later, I am now one of a million struggling actors in LA. 2006 wasn’t a good year in my acting career. I may have auditioned for 1 theatrical role and 8 commercials at most. My acting income was probably around $5 from residual checks of a national commercial I did in 2005. I suspended my AFTRA guild membership because I barely had no acting income. I also lost my commercial agent of 8 years after I decided to shave my head. The good news is that I continued taking scene study classes at “the studio” where I’ve now started receiving very positive reviews from my acting coach. I also made a single appearance at an open mic space in Hollywood exercising some old stand-up material I have.

In 2007 I will be taking a whole different approach. I will still continue studying at “the studio” where I will be switching from scene study classes to audition technique classes, but I will also start performing more. I will be preparing new stand-up material and spoken word poetry and will be hitting the small performance spaces around LA. I will also use my new media/web development knowledge/skills to produce short films for online distribution.

Overall I plan to make 2007 an exciting year of “doing” and “being” instead of waiting and dreaming.

Can’t nobody hold me down…Oh no…I got to keep on movin’…