Summer Summary

Pardon the long break between posts. Summer turned out to be far fuller than anticipated. "Lemme 'splain... no, there is too much. Lemme sum up."

First & foremost, I hit the 5 years mark in NYC!! Does this make me a "real" New Yorker? Do I have to wait for 10 year for that special title? I'll never let go of my label as a Texan, so who cares! I am proud to make it to 5 years. When I moved here in June 2008 to study acting at the William Esper Studio, I knew it was an indefinite road we were trekking. And sitting here at 5 years, it remains indefinite. Yes, I've hit the 30 year mark as well, which has certainly provided some time for the "what do I want in life" thoughts. Luckily, I never had any kind of 'plan' so I haven't disappointed myself or not reached any certain expectations. So we remain in NY indefinitely! (Why do I keep writing we?)

Moving on... "Twelfth Night" gave me the opportunity & challenge of playing a lead in quite possibly the hottest theatre ever during one of the hottest, most humid weeks of summer! Got dizzy on stage and played to a melting audience. Luckily, the final week we cut some stage lights and cooled the room-- gotta love old electric wiring in NYC!! But still managed to garner a positive review. 

I've travelled for fun (not weddings) this summer more than any other, which keeps me sane & happy! Beaches galore!! And inevitably, I've been delayed EVERY time on one leg of the trip. It's an amazing feeling of powerlessness when I'm standing in the customer service line at Atlanta airport, mid-trip having missed my connection with no option but to pay for a hotel and take a flight at dawn to get to my destination. C'est la vie! Worth it every time!!!

A major theme for the summer and my year in general is relationships. Maybe because of the way the year began, maybe it's just my own determination combined with God opening some doors for things to fall into place, but I've been able to spend some wonderful quality time with people in my life that touch the deepest places of my heart and bring such joy! My family & I played on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores, AL. My basketball girls & I cooked, ate, drank and laughed at a beach house in Galvesto
n. My old comrades in arms from a previous restaurant job gathered for a delicious dinner downtown. I bid farewell & good luck to three dear theatre friends moving away from NYC, all surrounded by my theatre family. AND I've met new wonderful friends through new projects, including soccer (which I haven't played since I was 12!) 


NOW, I'm shooting my first feature film in NYC! Very exciting & challenging. The material is not exactly light. We like to refer to it as a modern-day tragedy. This is the elevator pitch we came up with, "It's a contemporary dramatic tragedy about the self-deluded blindness of America's myopic, middle-class, white, Millennial generation, and the gaping abyss of powerlessness and inevitable entropy of existence toward which they ignorantly tumble." As I said, not a rom-com! But the whole process has been nothing short of wonderful! Our director/cinematographer works as a producer at MTV, which means all our rehearsals have been in the heart of Times Square! I pinch myself every time! Plus, he's so open to input from the actors in the creation of our characters and this piece as a whole, so we feel as much ownership for the story as he does shooting it. Truly an exception for film & an absolute gift that I'm embracing whole-heartedly!

Labor day officially marks the end of summer, which is fast approaching. This also means my annual attendance at the US Open is fast approaching! Cannot wait to spend 3 days with my loving mother watching the best tennis in the world! Thank you, God. I am blessed!