Hi!

Me again! As I am writing this, I am contemplating whether I should wait until tomorrow to post this weeks instalment. It’s pretty late here now, I am kinda hungry and tired.

So, anyway, we just wrapped this show I was on. We do have extra 11 days in January, so it is not a real wrap, but it should have been. This week was pretty challenging work wise, physicality and emotionally. My dad and his family is still unwell due to Covid, my friend in London is fighting for her dogs life, I wasn’t sure what to do with Christmas, as government regulations kept changing the whole week, also I need to move out of my apartment and become homeless again, oh and did I say that the we were filming outside in the pouring rain? Having said that, this is all in the past now.

As it stands, I am work free until 11th of January, flights from the UK to Lithuania are all canceled, so I am flying to Dubai on the 24th instead. I am also moving out of my flat tomorrow and for the few days before my flight will stay at the colleagues apartment. Christmasy spirit at work was well nice and considering my current position, I think this was the epitome of my Christmas this year. I was feeling rather peaceful earlier today, but the news of flight cancelations threw me off again a bit. I’ll just try not to think about it. I think it’s good not to attach too much to the options and possibilities, whatever happens happens.

OK so enough with the soap. I’ll keep this diary going for another week and see whether it still makes sense to call it “Manchester Diary”, because as my mama recently named me, I am a snail, traveling with my home on my back. Who says evolution isn’t real? Anyway. On this happy Darwian note I leave you with my weekly breakdown.

Thank you for sticking with me through all this. Manchester has not been easy.

***

Monday. In bed now. Today was the last day at the studio this year. Easy day for me, one actress for most part, doing some crawling around. My colleagues have been super nice to me, one of them offered up his apartment for me to stay at during the Christmas break while he is in London. That’s in case I cannot go home for Christmas and end up being stuck in Manchester. Very very kind of him. Lithuanian government issued new Covid rules which come into effect on Wednesday. As of then, all non essential travel is forbidden including travelling between towns. They are basically trying to stop families reuniting for the holidays, so yea, even if I do go home, I won’t be able to see my mom. That sucks… I’ll have my sister of course, but yea a lot of question marks once again. When is this going to end? My dad is so sick, he barely talks, his wife has told me. I got my period today, almost a week early and was completely unprepared. Stress stress stress. Hope you are all well! Good night from me now!

Tuesday. Hey! As per usual, in bed now. Today went quick at work as we were sooo slow.. shot the last few scenes of the whole show, pretty exciting. In a real life airport in a real life plane. Ah how I wish to be flying somewhere sometime soon. It was sort of a shared feeling today sparked by the shooting location. People miss travelling, you really do appreciate things more once you loose them. SO. What’s up with the Covid vaccines? I’ve heard on the radio today, that UK thinks it will take a year to vaccinate the whole country! Back in Lithuania they don’t say how long it will take, but they are stocking up and promising to start vaccinations in January. Also my little friend from back home is planing a trip to Dubai to meet this guy she met online (I think I have mentioned that in my last week blog) but, yes that plan is still on and I offered to keep her company for the safety reasons and as an excuse to get out a bit. Never been there before, so that would be quite an adventure.  Also I stopped talking to my Mexican pen pal, so no more plans for Cuba. 

Wednesday. 2 more days and holiday!! It doesn’t happen very often that there would be any time off during the shoot and the unusual circumstances seem to be following me from one job to another. In any case those 3 weeks off is a very welcome me time. If I won’t end up doing anything exciting and simply stay in Manchester that will also be alright. I am just so tired at this point. Also remember there was a point, when I would finish a day of work and would not be sure if there was another one tomorrow, cause Covid… Well look at us now, almost done! So today we were filming all the exteriors of this street and house we shot interiors for in our first week at a studio, back in September. Continuity at its peak… So today was pouring down the rain and a funny thing happened. As I was sitting in the rain hugging my poor iPad away from it, a friend from props department kindly offered me one of his umbrellas, then another friend from camera department lent me his c’stand making my umbrella more like a roof over my head. So I was super happy and grateful. After completing that shot I stepped away for not more than 10 minutes and when I was back, only the handle of the umbrella remained. The northern wind took the rest of the umbrella with it. Honestly at that point I just laughed, cause, look at the irony. I enjoyed my set up for 5 minutes and before I knew it my comforts were gone. Well I was later on helped out by the spark friends who built a steadier roof for me. My colleagues really are very nice. OK on this happy note I need some sleep hours. Hope your day was drier than mine! NIGHT!

Thursday. I am way past my bedtime, but I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot today. Work went pretty well, I was in positive spirits and there was not that much dialogue, so I had it rather easy. Just doing some filler scenes for continuity. A funny thing happened today actually. We were laughing about something the actor did in shot, which if taken out of context or looked at from a certain angle seemed a little bit inappropriate. (Yes everyone in this industry has filthy mind, especially if that aforementioned mind only gets 5 hours of sleep in average for more that a month) Anyway, so I was laughing so hard I accidentally knocked my head on the corner of DITs monitor. It hurt, yes, but it made the whole situation even funnier. Ah the little things. Also by the end of the day for the first time ever me and the director had some banter going. That was a bit of a pleasant surprise, maybe the fact that we have only one day left before holidays had something to do with it… After I got home I packed the present for my secret Santa person and for the first time ever made a bow from scratch myself. So many first times. For some reason I was always convinced that I am not good at packing presents, but in reality, I never actually tried to learn. Youtube is a great teacher! OK on to the biggest news of the day. I have booked my flights to go to Dubai next week. Had to push the dates by the day, as the prices shot up from what it was yesterday, but still. I am going, at least it seems like it now. Cannot believe it yet and also am a little nervous. It is a good thing though. Alright on this happy note I am leaving you tonight and wishing you all health and happiness. Channel your aware self! Kiss!

Friday. And.. this is wrap wrap wrap, before our 11 day shoot in January to fully complete this glorious job. Originally it was supposed to be our final day, but due to the stand down earlier the shoot got extended. In a way it does feel like the end or like another stand down. Weird feeling, but a good kind of weird. Anyway, I feel like I am rambling a lot now, but it is past midnight and I just got home after having a nice dinner and few drinks with my colleague. All is well in Manchester, the new chapter begins.

Saturday. Pilates in the morning. Honestly was proud of myself for waking up. The day started pretty well, the weather was nice and I walked home from the class, just like I used to. In the evening I had a driving  lesson booked with the new/ old instructor. We previously had just one lesson together and the lockdown happened, so now we resumed and obviously I already had some practice in between, which made this time so much better. I enjoyed it, the car was nice and new and so smooth to drive. Feeling as a success proceeded to do some Dubai planing. Another friend might be joining us as well. I really hope she does, as she just had her heart broken by a cheating partner. Anyway won’t go too much into that. My mind was at peace.

Sunday. Laundry day. Pilates class got cancelled as instructor wasn’t feeling well. I ended up catching up with my family. My sister is going to Spain to meet her online lover later this week, that’s so unlike her and I am quite proud how spontaneous she is. London is in tier 4. Flights from the UK to Lithuania as of tomorrow are cancelled, so even if I wanted to jump on my flight, it would not be happening. Glad I have an alternative plan at play. Hopefully flights to Dubai won’t be canceled. I feel significantly happier now in general. Funny, perhaps not having to worry about work has something to do with it. All is well now. Stay healthy and safe!

Highlights:

  • End of the job. For now.
  • Family, forever family.
  • Being healthy.
  • Making it through this week.
  • Possibly being in Dubai for Christmas and New Year.
  • Friends friends friends.
  • Christmasy mood at work.

Cheers with the glass full of what should be festive elephant!