Introduction

I want to dedicate my writings to all the young and aspiring models that come to life in NYC and not only. I hope my scribbles will help you in your carrier and avoid the underwater stones of NYC, and if not avoid them, then at least be aware of them. Most of my writing will come from my own experience and the experience of friend models I have met throughout my carrier. I will as best as I can avoid improper language, because I want your mom to be my friend too (for this I know you may “hate” me), and read my posts and maybe even point out some of them to you occasionally. Because I believe it is important for parents to be informed about their daughter’s careers too since so many of us (including parents) have one idea of how things will turn out: “ I am going to become a supermodel and make all the wealth in my life before I am 25”, or “my daughter is going to become a supermodel and make her/us wealthy before she is 25”. At this moment I must disappoint you and tell you that it is not always the case, however, it doesn’t mean it cannot become a great career and an amazing experience for a decade or maybe even more. It will all depend on you and how you treat it, and as with any work you better treat it with respect honey, it will last longer.

P.S.

This is where all this began, on the top of the bunk bed in NYC. Summer 2001

Genuinely Yours,

Onega

Winter Work Out Drills or Backlash on Winter’s Stall

I enjoy working out a lot, it helps me not just stay in shape but also obtain positive energy which is really a must in NYC. Unfortunately, winter is my “soft spot” time, and I often lack on being consistency. Sometimes I may avoid working out for weeks (to stay sane I don’t recommend you to do this), but whenever I do I am always trying to get the most out of my workouts. Swimming is one of my favorite ways to exercise, but a dry land workout can be no less fun and easier to manage during wintertime. I love to do lots of aerobic (cardio) exercises with low weights. Here are the images of some of my gym drills.

Resolutions of 2015

Every year I have many resolutions. Some of them are quite tough and somewhat unrealistic and others are much more possible. This year one of my many resolutions I have two that are “easy” and that I have been meaning to fix for quite some time.

My first resolution is “Don’t be late”.

I want to make sure I will not be running late to any meetings whether it is a meeting with a friend, going to a casting, or my own time frame to be at a certain place for convenience. And the most important is not to be late to work! In my defense, I can proudly admit that I am almost never late. Seldomly, I may show up 5-10 min late, but overall I am on time. However, I fall behind on many other occasions to be on time, especially regarding castings. Thus, the resolution of this year is to come as early as I can to my appointments or not later than 30 min till the end. This means that if I have a window between 1 and 3pm to make an appointment I shall be there no later than by 2:30pm. The idea is nice but “how do I make it happen?” was my first question to myself. The second question I asked was “why do I run late?”

I start with the latter question. The thing is it takes quite some time to get ready for castings and then I am one of those people who are guilty of procrastination pleasure. I have noticed that my procrastination always grew longer before the castings. I would often end up doing something at home, things like washing dishes or looking for something obsessively that could be done at any other time, just to not leave my place. The truth is – castings often can be a frustrating experience and eventually I realized that all this was a “play of my mind” that would do anything else but not leave my apartment and deal with the pressure of castings. One really has to be in the “right mood” to go and meet the clients. Thus, I decided to follow some simple truths and come up with the 3 key tricks to have a “better time with castings” and “don’t be late”.

“Better Time with Castings” – tricks

1. Always check your castings in the evening for the day ahead. If there is none, check in around 10-11am.

Knowing your castings an evening before gives you a better idea of what to wear and what kind of clients you will meet, so you can prepare mentally. Give yourself a few outfit options just in case you wake up in the morning and not feeling like wearing one, you may feel for the other. It will save a lot of time. For example, when I am not prepared, I often find myself caught in front of my closet contemplating what to wear, it can take up to 30 min at one time.

2. Check the weather the night before or at least in the morning.

For me personally, it is one of the most important factors too. As models,,,, we are always on the run and you may end up running in the city the entire day with no chance to come back home and change so it is best to plan it thoroughly. It will help you to figure out your outfit as well.

3. Have a good sleep and give yourself a few hours to get ready for your appointments.

You don’t want to wake up and feel or think that you look tired. Notice that your hair is not clean and there is no time to wash and dry them. It will make you not want to go to your appointments, and as a consequence, you will procrastinate.

4. Remember cab is not always a solution.

Often if I know I am going to run late I think, oh I just take a cab, but only if it is an option. You must remember that cab often can take longer than a train especially if you are going across town. Plus, I never really spend any of my “cab money” on the castings. Reserve a cab for going to work, as I call it a “pay for a pay” (which means you are finally doing a job that is paying you so you can pay and deduct it from your salary, in your head).

This month is coming to the end and to flatter myself I can say that I have not been late so far, except few moments. A couple of times I was about to run badly late to work but a cab was my solution so I came right on time. However, I want slightly push myself and not just to be on time but come 5 -10 min early to work. Thus that is what I am working on.

I will post the “Early Bird” resolution in part 2 of this article

Good luck with your castings,

Onega