It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in your career for a year or for twenty years… we all get stuck from time to time. Maybe it’s a rejection that cuts a little too deep, the fear of not knowing how to do something, the fear of failure, the fear of success, a conversation in our head that tells us we can’t, or that the time’s not right, or that we’re too old, or the economy is bad. Whatever it is for you, it feels real and true and most importantly, it stops you!The best goals, intentions, timelines, strategic plans… they all go out the window when we’re stuck. What do we do? How do we handle it? How do we get back on track? And how do we get back on track quickly?Hollywood Producer, Suzanne Lyons had a friend who, during an audition, had a bad experience where the director was very rude to her. It was three months before she went on another audition. Lyon and her producing partner had a similar situation happen.

They had successfully produced films in other countries and were planning to produce a first film here in the U.S. “We did a fantastic business plan and movie poster, had a great investor’s package, had everything organized and were ready to go out to investors. That was December of 2004. All of a sudden it was March 1st 2005! I had gone unconscious about the project and didn’t even know that I was stuck. The fear of raising the money stopped me cold!”Getting stuck from time to time is inevitable. The question is, how do we deal with it and how do we get back on track in record time. Here are a few ideas from some of Lyon’s entertainment industry guests. They’ve experienced being stuck first hand and they have some valuable advice for us.CREATE A VISUAL DISPLAY:CEO of Now Casting, Bob Steward feels that having your goals clearly plotted and broken down into a timeline with milestones is key. “But most importantly,” he says, “have it clearly visible at all times. That way you’ll stay conscious and engaged in your career and you’ll notice if something is wrong. So you’ll find out ‘oh, my foot’s stuck’ as opposed to ‘holy cow, I’m knee deep in quicksand.'”KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE:Actress Mary Stein says that for her the best and fastest way to get unstuck is a daily practice of staying in touch with her vision. “Stay focused on the big picture,” she says, “and keep your eye on the prize.”FACT VERSUS FICTION:Director/Writer Mark Rosman suggests that we look at the facts. “When I notice that I’m stuck,” he says, “I look at what is the story that I’m telling myself and I write it down.

For example, after a producer called and said he didn’t want to option my script, I thought, oh, I’m not talented enough… I can’t write dialogue, and a whole ton of crazy things went through my mind. I wrote the long list on a piece of paper and then I compared it to the facts. The fact was, that producer didn’t want my script… period! That was the fact. So instead of looking at my interpretations of what I made it all mean, I decided to just look at the facts. All the drama disappeared in an instant and I got back on the phone and started pitching again.”HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER:Comedy Central Executive Kris Emery suggests that we have a buddy that we stay in touch with on a regular basis. Kris and her accountability partner speak (or blog) daily or weekly supporting each other with their goals and all the ups and downs that go along with reaching them. And they’ve been doing this for over 20 years!IT’S A GOOD THING! IT MEANS YOU’RE GETTING BIGGER:So says TV and feature writer Alison Lea Bingeman. She believes that “if you’re stuck, that means that you are breaking through to some new ground… some new level. She says that “there’s something new that you’re learning and that you’re processing and that you’ll come out on the other side with a lot more knowledge and a lot more wisdom.”We are all going to get stuck from time to time, whether from internal reasons or external sources. It happens. The question is… for how long are you willing to stay stuck? Minutes, days, weeks, years? How about seconds? Wouldn’t that be a whole lot better? Let’s cut down, way down, on the time we spend being stopped and stuck. Start using these suggestions and get masterful at getting back on track immediately.

Hunk actor Zanjoe Marudo picked up his first acting award at the Gawad Tanglaw awards held last Friday for his performance for “Maalaala Mo Kaya”‘s ‘Kuliglig’ episode.”Bilang artista, isa ‘yon sa mga bagay na kahit paano kapag nakatanggap ka ng parangal, kahit papaano ay nararamdaman mong nagiging kumpleto ka na. At least kapag napansin ka at naparangalan ka ay masaya ang pakiramdam,” Marudo said.Now that he has an acting trophy tucked under his belt, Marudo stressed that he will continue to strive harder in his career. But Marudo said that does not mean he will be more choosy.”Hindi naman magbabase na porke nakatanggap ka ng award ay mag-iiba na ang pananaw mo sa pag-arte, ‘di ba,” he asked. “Siyempre kahit umpisa pa lang ay pinag-aaralan ko talagang mabuti at pinipili ko din talaga ang mga role na nababagay sa akin at saka ‘yung mga kaya kong gawin at ‘yung mga gusto kong gawin.”Meanwhile, Marudo is touched that actress Bea Alonzo said she considers him a blessing in her life.”‘Blessing’! Wow, nakakatuwa talaga na alam mo ‘yon, ‘yung taong mahalaga sa iyo ay maganda ang sinasabi sa iyo.

Para sa akin din naman, isa siyang malaking blessing na dumating sa buhay ko,” he said.Almost two weeks ago, when Alonzo signed a 4-film contract with Star Cinema, she admitted that she and Marudo go out on dates. She also said she misses spending time with the actor whom she described as a “blessing”. Both Alonzo and Marudo are now busy fulfilling their showbiz commitments.Currently, Marudo is busy taping for his newest series “Hiyas” while Alonzo is busy shooting her film with Vic Sotto. She is also doing a TV series titled “Guns and Roses” with action star Robin Padilla.Lovi: I’m open now, you can date meYoung actress Lovi Poe surprised everyone during the special screening of “Captain Barbell” Thursday night when she uttered the words “I’m open now, you can date me.”Lovi said this after the entertainment press complimented her blue Charina Sarte mini dress. According to her, she’s young and will try to enjoy life and the opportunities that come her way.When asked if this has something to do with her relationship with former congressman Ronald Singson, Lovi begged off to answer the question. “I don’t want to say anything kasi when they asked me if I’m in a relationship I never answered yes or no.”Singson is currently detained in Hong Kong after being caught in possession of illegal drugs.

Lovi also did not confirm that she’s already single, but hinted through her words that she’s indeed very much available.”Walang time na akong magisip, walang na akong time sa ibang tao so trabaho na lang muna ako,” she said. “I really think it’s time for me to love myself more. I’m working a lot now.”She added she’s happy with what is happening in her life now and couldn’t asked for more, especially when it comes to her career.”I’m definitely happy with what’s going on with my life. My career is doing great and there are good people around me and I can’t complain talaga. I’m just here to enjoy.”Lovi also said she’s not traumatized with what she experienced for months now and she’s not a skeptic when it comes to love. She added everything happens for a reason and what’s important is she picked up few learning from her roller coaster ride. “It’s like a training for me… Training for more crazy things to come,” the actress ended. (MNS)

The merry-go-around of celebrity news moves on at incredible speed, producing sensational stories that range in quality and content. Since the industry has never had aspirations to tremendous intellectual depth, it often banks on other qualities, especially the entertainment value and shock value of their output. Readers and viewers who keep track of celebrity antics are usually interested in having a good laugh or peeking backstage where they can see more of the glossy world of the famous, the rich and the fortunate. In this environment, it is no surprise that quite a large proportion of celebrity scandals are rather silly, if you take a closer look. They prove even more so once some time goes by and no one seems to remember what the outrage was all about. But probably, the silliest stories are those that produce a massive reaction from the public, grow so big that they dominate the headlines for a couple of days and then disappear without a trace, as it nothing had happened.

There is some inherently comic quality in the fact that the public indignation that surrounds them dies out so fast despite the proportions it first acquires.One good illustration of this sort of event is what happened to Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson when her breast was revealed, accidentally or with cunning premeditation, no one really knows, in what became the most famous wardrobe malfunction in history. As a combination of a few factors coincided, mainly the fact that the event was being broadcast during the Super Bowl final, the interracial undertones and the explicit sexual power of the incident, the scandal sent shivers of moral discomfort down the spines of millions of Americans. Its more long-term impact was rather modest and beyond stricter regulations that ban any hint of sexual content from the Super Bowl evening, little has changed. This disproportion between the immediate splash the Nipplegate produced and its fading into insignificance in the following months is indeed comic.Celebrity gossip websites were still in their infancy when the news broke that somebody released Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s sex tapes on the Internet.

Anyone who appreciated the well-endowed lifeguard from the Baywatch could have a section of her intimacy with her newly-wed rock star husband. This has been long overshadowed by the more explicit sexual content that can be easily accessed on the Internet, including webcam antics by wannabe celebrities, but at that time the public reaction was intense. It was a topic of hushed conversations from high schools to workplaces, but it died out as abruptly as it was unleashed on the general public. From today’s perspective it does look rather silly.No one could see it coming that Britney Spears would go through a major meltdown, but she did, in front of the whole world. It was confusing, embarrassing and silly at the same time to watch the beautiful pop singer enter the path of self-destruction. These constant images and stories of what she did and what she did not do pumped her to such an extent that she transformed into an unreal figure mixing comedy with tragic.