G’day there folks. It’s 4.30 am here and this is just a quick post to keep the story moving.

We had our auditions yesterday, complete with Director sticking a video camera in our faces and making us do quite challenging things. Brought out all my insecurities I tell you, but it was still a “hoot” - a heap of fun. We find out next week how we went…

I’ll come back to some of the story in bullets at the end, but I wanted to just pour my continuing pride in my son out into cyberspace. (Don’t worry, he gets to hear it too, from me directly!)

Firstly, I got to see this 8-year old boy rising to a challenge set for him by professionals in a professional arena. If he doesn’t get this role, it definitely won’t be because he can’t act.

Secondly, the fun we had ‘working on something together” was priceless.

Thirdly, he was so encouraging to me. Even though this thing could have been all about his anxiety or his hopes or his fun, he was asking me how I felt, telling me what he thought of my acting, speaking in language of collaboration and team.

Finally, I was really touched by a comment he made on the way home after he’d been told how much $$ he’d earn. He turns to me and asks what the Salvation Army do. (He’d just seen a billboard of theirs). After I told him a few things, he said firmly, “If I get this ad, I’ll give $100 to the Salvation Army.” And he meant it.

Sometimes I wonder where this emotionally-intelligent, creative, feet-on-the-ground, socially aware, think-outside-the-box human came from. We certainly thank God constantly that we went ahead and had another child after we lost our second at birth. [That's not for everyone, that's just our story].

Anyway, enough parental gloating. Just a couple more funny tidbits from the experience:

• While we were waiting, another auditioning actor (about 30 years old) came into the foyer with us. He was that ruggedly and naturally goodlooking-but-rough kind of fellow that makes us overweight middleaged geeks feel more than a little inadequate. Good bloke though. We got chatting and discovered all kinds of things about him, such as he’s recovering from a car accident and died SIX times during the operations that followed it. Anyway, during the course of the conversation he asked if I was auditioning too (not just my son). I said, “Yeah, it’s the funniest thing. I brought him on Wednesday and they asked me too. I can’t get my head around it”. He replied, “Nah, they’re looking for all sorts, it’s not just models that get these jobs.” … I think he meant well by that comment. I think.
• As much as I’d like to tell you all that I’m auditioning for the role of Action Hero or Comedic Legend, I’m actually auditioning for the role of mildly-intoxicated-middle-aged-Dad-who’s-a-poor-role-model-to-his-son. Hopefully it’s not type-casting…
• My hair’s kind of medium length and spiked a little while Youngest Son’s is cut Army-short. It seems if I want the role I have to cut mine to his length, since I’ll be him at age 40 (he morphs into me, which I hope for his sake is not a glimpse of his actual destiny!). I guess it’ll grow back…