Meet Govind! This talented and colorful Laner is an actor, writer, and occasional drag queen! Amongst his work, he is very proud of a short film he acted in last year from the Ad Council called "Rising". It tells the story of coming together during hard times. Something we could ALL use right now. You can view it here! He also co wrote "Make America Great Again" that you can check out on iTunes! Never one to sit still, this Laner is currently working on his next project, a podcast! "Gov Actually" will be up and running soon so be on the look out for that! Govind is hopeful that the country will be moving forward and changing into a place of safety and acceptance for all people! He is definitely ready to get back to work! We love this dynamic and passionate Laner!!
Why do you LOVE working on the Lane?
I love working with Mustard Lane because they have great companies to work for, they are so communicative and honestly so respectful and rewarding to their employees. I've worked for a lot of companies, and Mustard Lane is one of the only ones I have only positive things to say about. I love working with the other Laners, I've made so many great friends from M/L and I've gotten to do things I never would have expected. Love the movie premieres, Snapchat events, pseudo performance jobs. The Christie's job for Marina Abramovic was my last event, and it was so weird and cool! And whenever I have anything to communicate, the NY staff is so quick and helpful and open. I really do love M/L.
Where are you spending your Corona Quarantine time?
I'm currently staying at my parents' home in Lathrop CA (near San Jose). It's 105 degrees today so trying to stay cool and collected. They have a lake in the backyard so I'm just waiting on my inflatable kayak!! I go running every day along the San Joaquin river, so beautiful. Nature is out and about and living their best life, so I catch a stork, egret, or families of ducks and geese. My parents just settled here in January so every day we've been working on their garden and patio. With the sunshine, veggies and fruits are growing in abundance! We already have flowers sprouting from cucumber, tomato plants, beets, lemon and limes, green onion, okra, sage, thyme, basil and a few rose bushes! Now it's just about natural pest control and proper water management. I'm learning a lot! I also am reading and working on a writing project with a best friend.
What do you miss most about normal life/ what are you most looking forward to when this is over?
I miss my friends more than I knew. I miss going out socially and discovering all the unique and cool places in LA. I miss the movies and seeing shows. I'm most looking forward to cooking dinner for my friends, auditioning, and, even though I absolutely adore my parents, getting a little break!
What is your favorite quarantined activity?
Becoming an active gardener! I've learned so many natural pest control strategies, and how to approach growing plants/veggies in a desert region.
Have you discovered any new hobbies during quarantine?
The aforementioned gardening, but I've also been running more than I've ever. I'm used to running in hilly LA so more of an incline but since I'm in Palm Desert now, it's mostly flat land, so I've found I can go longer distances. So far I'm running a consistent 8 miles, but I'm hoping to get it up to ten by the time this is all over. My other favorite activity has been watching really closely my mother's recipes. My parents are from South India, where the food is mostly vegan with some fish. So learning how to make yogurt or making dosas (like crepes) has been amazing. I should be doing a tik tok with my mom!
If you're supporting any local stores, which ones are your favorites?
Peace Love Shave Ice in Manteca CA. They have a huge selection of shaved ices and iced coffees. Their drive thru has stayed open and I'm such a fan. I grew up loving italian ice on long island, so this is as close as I've come in Cali. Nice local staff and plenty of options, I'm a super fan. Go whenever you're here!
Who is the last person you spoke to?
My best friend Jenna who's in NY. She's a public school teacher, and she's quarantined alone. She has muscular dystrophy so she's super high risk so she has actually been in her one bedroom apt near Columbus circle for now 65 days...i try to talk to her every other day.
Positive take aways from having down time?
I've learnt how much time I spend obsessing about certain things and that when certain habits were broken because of the quarantine, I could see how much of a rut, or circular patterns I'd been in.
Quarantine tips and tricks for staying sane??
Tips I've taken on that have helped me: -Shut your phone off sometimes! I shut my phone off after ten pm. I also only go on social media 4 days out of the week, alternating days.
-Try to read a book every week.
-I call a different friend every week to catch up. It changes my routine and also always gives me a fresh perspective.
-I only go to news sources I trust and aren't inflammatory: PBS, New Yorker, Democracy Now.
-Cook often! Now's a better time than any to really get back to basics and also start clearing out your pantry.
-Sit outside or go for a walk, at the least, every day.
-Writing down what I'm grateful for. People recommend gratitude journals, which I have yet to do, but every week I'll write an email to myself.
-Embrace solitude.
-Crossword puzzles online are super fun, and it feels like brain exercise!
What is your greatest attribute as a BA?
I'm really positive. No matter what I do, I approach it with an attitude of gratefulness. I've worked so many jobs in my life so far, and being a brand ambassador is one of the easier types of work. I try to be as present as I can and because I'm really motivated and trained as an actor, it's easy for me to step into whatever role the client wants. BA work is so much better than catering! The only other job I truly get as much as I give is working with kids in public schools as a teaching artist.
