Always Lock It Up!

I went to work and lost $50... aren't you supposed to walk away from work having earned a profit (unless you work on Wall Street). Ironically, the place where I'm supposed to earn my living became the place I lost it. I failed to re-lock my locker at work after brushing my teeth after my lunch break (this is my reward for dental hygiene). I did not discover this until I was leaving work and returned to the locker room and stopped in my tracks at the sight of my unlocked locker.
Upon opening my locker everything looked normal, my bag in the same spot I had set it in this morning, and of course I reached for my wallet first, opened it up and saw no cash inside. For a moment I searched my memory- maybe I didn't bring cash, maybe I had spent it all commuting home last night- but then I remembered I had bought myself breakfast this morning with cash and there was plenty left in my wallet, which was now gone.
Strange, I thought I'd get robbed in my neighborhood in Harlem and where does it end up happening? At work. I've got a couple ideas about how to catch the thief. Will keep you posted if I apprehend the culprit!

Never Make Plans

A truly enchanted day from start to finish!

Starting with sleeping in (a rarity in my life) and a lazy morning. The only thing missing was a cup of coffee, but I have no coffee table or chair or couch or anything, for that matter, so maybe the lack of a coffee pot is fortunate! (I hope Santa will help with the aforementioned need for furniture).

I decided to make use of my wide open day and try for some tickets to "The Merchant of Venice", starring Al Pacino. Now, for that faithful half dozen of you who read my ramblings regularly, you may recall an extraordinary evening this summer when I was privy to this performance in Central Park. It was such a success that it has been moved to Broadway for a limited run, and is one of the hottest tickets in town [i hate that phrase, don't know why i used it].

Its a particularly chilly day in Manhattan and not too many folks are generally aware of matinee performances, so I thought I had a good shot. After I put my name in for the lottery [i've explained the Broadway lottery in previous posts, so please revisit those for reference] and as I patiently waited for the drawing I overheard a British woman (I love the British accent, so I'm just naturally drawn to listen) with her two sons wondering what would happen if one of them was called and they only would receive one ticket. Let this be a lesson to any solo-theatre-goers out there, if you put in for the lottery ALWAYS request 2 tickets. You find another loner in the crowd and make a deal that if you or they are called, you give the other ticket to them. Just increases the chances. So I politely interject that if I was called, I'd happily give them one of my tickets. As fate would have it, two of their names were called so I got a ticket! YES!!!

Little did I know I was about to sit next to one of the most interesting, randomly met, talented stranger-now-friend I've encountered here in NYC! Time for the cliche: this is why I love NY! Come to find out she is friends with a gentleman in the show, so she and her boys got to go back stage before and after the show, met Al (yes, i'm totally jealous), AND she is doing a show at BAM right now, as in a few hours later!

Naturally between obtaining a ticket and the start of the performance, I used my time wisely, albeit creepily, to google her and learn all I could! Ha! So with Starbucks in hand, I parked myself in the lobby at the Marriott Marquis (don't worry other people were doing it too) and researched my theatre-buddy. May have appeared slightly odd when I showed up at the theatre and knew her resume, but I just think its preparedness! We had lovely chats in between being awed and enraptured by the performances on stage.

*Quick note: Although this post isn't about the show, it was wonderful. Pacino is riveting, Lily Rabe was delightful- different from the summer, but still divine, and the rest of the cast deserves more praise than I am writing now. It was such a clear, precise delivery of Shakespeare that I was NEVER lost and that is saying a lot b/c some days I'm not so quick. Really really lovely!

Back to me though, so after the show we are heading out. Well, I am heading out, they are heading to the dressing rooms. Anyway, I give her my number b/c she is going to check on ticket availability for her show, but is skeptical as it is a sold-out run but we can always hope, right? I leave already loving my day and reveling in such a delightful surprise in flying solo at the theatre only to be met by such an interesting family. I always have loved English folks!

So, not long after I receive a message that there is one ticket left. I call her back and make the arrangements to pick it up. The one seat left, isn't exactly a seat as much as a half chair seated on the stage. Just the back to support you and sitting on a little cushion. It was brilliant actually because I was loving the fact that I was on stage at the BAM Harvey Theater, where a year before I had seen Cate Blanchett do "A Streetcar Named Desire" and previously "As You Like It", two shows I enjoyed immensely.

"Metamorphosis" played out so interestingly! One of the most unique and physical stagings I've ever seen of a play. So creative and stylized. I absolutely loved it. The whole cast was wonderful and I so enjoyed myself. (sorry if it seems i'm gushing over this, but it has been such a special day and i'm still overwhelmed by it... and i take my apology back, i'm not sorry!) I got to go backstage, which is only the second time that has happened in NY, and I got to walk past all these signed posters from shows, and I wish I could linger a bit but I know I'd get lost so I had to keep up with the girl escorting me down. I chatted briefly with my friend, who jokingly referred to herself as my fairy godmother for the theater. She said she'd just escort me all over the City just getting me in to shows. You know what, I'll take it! A theater fairy godmother... yes please!

I headed home grinning ear-to-ear feeling so utterly content with the happy chaos of my life!

p.s. My new friend's name is Kelly Hunter, so check her out, become a fan and come see her when she is back in New York in a few months to perform some Shakespeare herself! She's wonderful!!!

Kiss 'n Fly

JFK Airport, one of the gateways in to New York City and one of the gateways out.

A very economical way to JFK includes taking the A train ($2.25) and hopping on the SkyTrain totaling ($5). This may not seem like much compared to the flat rate for a cab from Manhattan at $45, but an extra $5 just to say goodbye closer to the plane seems like a waste of money to many.

I recently bid farewell to a dear friend who'd been out for a visit. And as he passed thru the SkyTrain gate, I glanced around. By the window a couple were sharing tearful goodbyes. Across from me two young people just held each other. One staying and one going but neither willing to pay the extra $5 to spend a few more moments together.

The parting is inevitable and in New York the most privacy you can hope for is a corner in a bustling public transit station. Privacy can be achieved if you forget everything around you and focus on the person in your arms. I left the sweet scene when the A train showed up and I slipped back into the City.

You Can See So Much More If You Run

With an island the size of Manhattan, its quite easy to see several parts of the City quickly.

My mission this particular evening entailed a 4-5 mile run and acquiring a copy of the Brian Friel play "Dancing in Lughnasa". It's an Irish play set in Donegal in the mid 1940's. The plan was to run along the Hudson up from 42nd street, where I'd just seen "The Town" (great movie, btw) and then make it back to the Drama Bookshop on 40th street before they closed.

I've never run up that way, so it was all discovery for me. I love that NY has so much to continually discover. I think the theme of my week for sure! Anyway, the sun was setting and it was just magical. I'd put together a pretty amazing playlist as well, so the run was incredibly pleasant!

I was somewhere up in the 80's when I decided I should look up when the Drama Bookshop closes. The close at 7 p.m. on Fridays and it was 6:15 p.m. I laughed at myself for a minute then began to run very quickly back down to 40th street. Even though I hit every avenue light, I made it with 10 minutes to spare! But they were sold out of the play and will be expecting a shipment Monday! Fantastic!

And so my mission continued to Barnes and Noble on 5th avenue at 46th street. Sadly, they too were out (I bet they don't ever have it) but she said the 66th street store would have it. I just extended my jog a little further only to arrive at another shop without any plays in stock.

I surrendered for the evening, but decided to take advantage of being in that gorgeous part of town and strolled through the Lincoln Center Plaza. The NY Philharmonics and NYC Ballet flanking me as I approached a fountain and looking beyond to the Metropolitan Opera. This is the center of fine arts in NYC and I love it!

Tomorrow I will find the play...

A New Chapter

Welcome Back Everyone!

After my annual hiatus from the City, life has once again resumed in NYC. My training has concluded as Esper and I embark on a new venture here... trying to work as an actor. I have sought advice from every source available to me about where to seek auditions, how to arrange my resume, etc. The questions are endless and so are the ways of approaching this business. Luckily, I cannot do anything to guarantee success except be unprepared. Why do I say 'luckily'? I'm off the hook! Nothing in me doubts what I am doing presently, I know deep within me I am exactly where I should be, faithfully following a path unknown to me. It's liberating and exciting! I think this is how we're meant to live.

I'll describe yesterday for a more complete example of my life now on days when I don't have to work. First thing, I checked emails/casting notices. I submitted to the projects I was right for and hope maybe one of them will respond. "The first job is always the hardest to get" my acting teacher always told us, because a lot of us don't have much of a resume, so they'd be taking a chance on us. And so I submit and submit and submit...

Now a beautiful gift from God landed in my mailbox the previous evening, and I'd been stalling on making a very important phone call. Through a divine connection, I am now on the radar of a casting director in New York whom I would not know on my own merit for a while, if ever. Just to bring everyone up to speed, casting directors are the middle man to help find the actors the directors/producers are looking for to fill their cast. The more actors they know, the better their chances are to fill the role with the perfect person and then be the best at their job. So to meet as many casting directors as possible and build great relationships with them is kind of essential to my future! I make the phone call and set up a meeting next week. Woohoo!

Busting from nervous energy, I decide to enjoy the continuing glorious weather that is gracing us presently and go for a jog in Central Park. Beautiful afternoon, no so beautiful run. My slothfulness over the past couple months has robbed me of both lungs and muscle. Its never fun getting back into shape. Anyway, back home on the train and grabbing lunch (my first food of the day... maybe that contributed to the difficulty of my run). Quick chat with the roommate, hopped in the shower, and checked my email once more and found another gift!

I've become a member of TheaterMania and I recommend everyone to look it up. For an annual fee, I receive discounts on many Broadway/Off-Broadway and other theater plus free tickets pop up constantly! So yesterday one came up for "Mrs. Warren's Profession" playing on Broadway, which is a Shaw play and one I wanted to see. So I decided to go! I dressed and made my way into the City to pick up the tickets!

On my way to find a bit of food for dinner I decided to stroll east on 43rd street toward Bryant Park (my fav park) and happened upon the marquee lighting for the new Stephen Sondheim theater. Lots of cameras, people, and on stage was the man himself, along with Patti LuPone and Nathan Lane. Maybe I'll perform in there someday.

I made it to Bryant Park and a fall festival of music takes place this week. The Met Opera gave a mini-concert. So I grabbed some soup and sat to listen. Beautiful. After I met my dear friend, Jacob, and we went to the theater for the show. A slightly depressing play, well acted, but one that leaves the audience melancholy and tired. I don't think its going to last long. Not really for a Broadway audience, in my humble opinion.

Being the old, tired, physically exhausted folks that we are, we both yawned our way home on the subway. As I arrive back to my room and prepare for bed, I check my email one more time and another gift. One of the jobs I submitted for has replied to set up an audition for Friday. Que suerte!

So this is my life now!

If You Rain on Us, Do We Not Get Wet

What would you wait for? What would you sweat for? What would you pay for? What would you cling to hope for, enduring a 6 hour line followed by a deluge?! For me, tonight, it was Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice...

Imagine the feeling of a bathroom after you've taken a steaming hot shower. The air is thick, moist, hot and we-just-sit-in-it! Arriving in pieces to the stand-by line outside the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, we sit on a hope and a prayer (and gravel) waiting for the possibility of snagging a ticket to one of the final performances of the summer's Shakespeare in Central Park.

In total we are seven, probably sitting a good 50 people from the front of the line. Now this line will only receive tickets after the folks with vouchers (some of whom camped out over night) get their tickets, who won't receive tickets until extra tickets are distributed by the box office. Basically, our chances are slim but we're optimistic people. We are actors after all, we live on the possibility of 'what if'! Anyway, knowing all this a pair of fellows walk by offering to sell tickets to the show. Now, you should know that the homeless folks in NYC are quite clever. Some camp out in the line over night, cause why not, and then receive tickets in the morning. Later in the day they sell them to people desperate to see the show and viola! make a little money! Genius! My friend and I perk up and inquire to the amount. $10 he says! After close inspection of the tickets (and assuming, based on appearance, that these guys wouldn't have the means to create fake tickets and then only sell them for ten bucks) we decided to purchase the 4 tickets they held. The seats were in the back row, so we opted to stay in the line to see if we could do better. Never satisfied!

The day continued to drag on but with enough snacks, good company and funny stories the day ended up flying by. Eventually we had purchased enough tickets for the group to be guaranteed a seat. Some were still skeptical about the validity of the tickets but once it became evident that we weren't going to get a ticket in the stand-by line and they were making last calls for anyone with a ticket, we jumped out of line and ran to our seats!

Now I should preface this next section by telling you that the forecast for the evening was heavy/severe thunderstorms with a chance of hail and a tornado watch! Am I back in Texas?! As we sit there is a slight breeze in the air but I am praying that the weather will hold. The play begins and Pacino is fabulous! We make it to the scene where Shylock is approached by Bassanio and Antonio for infamous loan (that whole pound of flesh bit) and the wind has picked up considerably. A gust of wind blows several leaves on the stage and the crowd begins to stir uncomfortably in their seats. A slight spitting kind of rain descends from above but the players go on. I draw my eyes to the sky and my heart drops at the sight of a wall cloud dividing the heavens and moving across to cover us. Then the rain comes... and comes... heavier... and heavier! The players abandon the stage, which is good cause eventually the wind knocks over the sets! The crew scrambles to cover the props as the audiences scrambles to take shelter. Those of us buried in the middle of our row remain stagnant huddling under a pitiful umbrella I may have borrowed from work. With every umbrella-breaking gust of wind, we'd all scream and cheer in defiance!! We WILL stay in our seats and see this show that we waited all afternoon for! One of the most amazing acts of nature I've encountered that closely!

For 35 minutes I bounced back-and-forth between hope and despair, never truly believing the performance would be canceled (little did I know the actors were down below taking off their costumes). The rain slowed bringing forth cries of victory, and as it stopped many of us stood proudly as though we had endured a great battle! Then we swiftly moved down to abandoned seats much closer! As the crew reset the stage, the weaker, more timid theater-goers emerged from their haven under the stands all nice and dry. Honestly, the shower was welcomed after spending several hours in the sweaty heat!

"Three thousand ducats!" and as Pacino delivered the line, the audience erupted. We loved them for coming back on stage and they loved us for staying. The rest of the performance fell under the gaze of the waning moon and ended somewhere around midnight. Portia was exquisite, Pacino played Shylock brilliantly and any issue I may have quibbled over on any other night was forgiven because it was performed. I loved every moment of it because it felt like a gift!

Montauk Triathlon

4:45 a.m. Is that my alarm? Where am I? Oh Yeah! I'm in East Hampton at David's House (a.k.a. my dream home) and Ana is asleep in the next bed! Thank God I wore my race clothes to bed.

4:55 a.m. No one will care if I steal one piece of oat bread. Should I eat anything else? No, Ironman Archer and wife advised me not to do anything out of the ordinary, which really means no breakfast at all.

5:05 a.m. "Morning David (a.k.a. "coach"/chauffeur/camera man/hero) Thanks again for getting up incredibly early to drive me out to Montauk", while Krissy and Ana (my best friends) sleep in.

5:58 a.m. Where do we go? Should we drop off the bike or the run stuff first. The directions aren't the best. I have no idea what I'm doing. "Oh ok just in here. This must be the second transition point from bike to run. Let me get my run gear stuff ready." Wait, I don't really have any run gear. I'll put the Texas A&M rally towel in my spot to make me smile, cause I think I'll be dying at this point in the race.

6:18 a.m. This is such a long walk. I feel bad for making David come all the way out here. Its such an early morning, but the sunrise is beautiful. So glad to have someone here with me. I have no idea how I'm going to feel during this race. I know I'll get thru it, I just hope I've got some dignity doing it!

6:30 a.m. Ok, so I'll set up my bike like they did. Just hang it? Like that? Huh, cool. Lay out the towel, my shirt, my shoes, socks, helmet, snack, water bottle. Got it. They just announced its 6:30! Ah! I should get to the beach, right? I love that David is here. He is a very calming presence that quietly supports me. This line for this disgusting clogged bathroom is full of 'chatty kathys'. All these women who know each other and are relaxed. I'm dying to talk to someone who is about to race. I really wish I had someone racing with me. I'm surprisingly chipper. Wonder what my heart rate is at right now. Where is David? Ah yes, he's right there. Patiently waiting. A blessing, that one.

6:40 a.m. David just gave me a pep talk. He he! Glad I could laugh before the start. Hope the girls are here when I get back to the shore. I can't believe I'm walking down the beach to swim all this way back! Whoa, look at how huge that dog's head is! Ok, so I'm more than half way finished when I see the camper on the beach with the dog with the giant head. What is that? A St. Bernard? This is kinda far down here. Hmmm, what should I do? Some people are in the water, I should probably at least feel it. AHH!! So cold!!! Ok, now I definitely have to get all the way in, so the start isn't a shock. I'll just sit in the water until everyone else gets out too. Lots of wetsuits out here. Still don't think I need one. I'm not that hard core.

6:55 a.m. Ok, so we just had to get out. Wonder what a 'water start' means. I need to connect with someone here. Must reach out. Oh, he just said it was his first tri. "Its your first one? Mine too. I'm a little nervous. Hi, TJ, I'm Erin. Pat, nice to meet you too." Ok, two names. That kinda grounded me. Oh geez, the Elite group is swimming out. That's what a water start means. Ok, so no bounding into the water. There they go. Oh my goodness, we can get in the water now. Ok, well its about to begin. I wonder how long this will take me. 'Just swim my race. Don't get overexcited and tire myself out. Slow and steady. Just finish.' Oh! He's counting down from 10. Where is the American flag for the turn to shore? I see it... barely.

The race begins for #69 from Texas. I didn't want to discriminate so I incorporated all strokes into my half mile swim: free style, breast stroke, back stroke, doggy paddle, side stroke (strongest one actually). Under the keen eye of the local lifeguards and staff I managed to struggle my way through the murky salt water. Forgot it was going to be salt water until I got a mouth full! BLAH!! Before leaving NYC, I read up on Montauk a bit and discovered the character of the captain in JAWS was based on a shark hunter from Montauk. Great shark hunting off these beaches. Excellent! This helps to fuel my paranoia about losing a limb or a good chunk of myself in the ocean to an unseen creature and here I am voluntarily splashing around, which you're not supposed to do when there are sharks, right? Its like subconsciously I want to give a little nibble. I press on, and focus my attention on the swimmer with the blue wetsuit. Her form is solid and yet I'm keeping pace with her. Ok, stay with blue back. Keep up with her. That is the goal. Eventually overtake her, cause lets face it, you're always saving a little for the end. And a couple buoys before the turn to shore, I passed her! Thats right! I am Ariel! The sea is my home! Can't wait to leave it!

Ok, gotta swim all the way in just to save face. Ah! LAND! Ugh... sand! Not so easy to run in. Ok, lets jog up to the bike. Yeah right. Not happening. Ok, wipe the feet as best we can. Geared up, got the helmet, snack, chug some agua, shirt... ready. My camera man tried to grab a pic of me before I peddled away. Wonder if he got it. Wonder how long it takes to bike 14 miles. I don't even have a ballpark of an idea. Ah well! Apparently, you just keep moving your legs the whole stinkin' time! I was hoping for a little rest on the bike, but somehow failed to ever stop moving my legs for this "rest". I did love the bike part though. If I tried to capture all the things I thought about on that ride, this would go on forever. Its incredible where the mind goes when the body is active. Just an idea, I rehearsed my Shakespeare monologue in several accents, took note of some properties for sale, waved at the locals on their lawns, high-fived a couple cops, chatted with a few fellow racers, ate half a fruit bar then decided I didn't really even want it, took note of the ages of all the folks passing me (they wrote our age on our lower leg). Everyone seemed so intense during the race. Granted some were Olympians but was anyone else doing this for fun? I wonder if I'd trained more I might have been more intense... nah, its not my personality! Its all about F-U-N!

The last 15 min of the bike included a gigantic hill! Luckily there was a dude at the top cheering us on. Definitely gave him a big ole high five! Then it was transition #2. Found my spot, hung the bike, left the helmet and started jogging out to the course. Now I see the girls! Ana and Krissy cheering on #69 as she loosely jogs down the hill and on for the 3 mile run. Once I'm out of their sight and any other spectator, it becomes me and my head again. Maybe the longest mile of my whole life! My legs weighed 100 lbs each at that point. Race tip: stand up on the bike for the last little bit to get your legs moving more like a run. The transition will be easier Definitely the hardest part of the race. My body would not move faster. My lungs were doing their job very efficiently, but my poor legs were ready to be done. Just keep running, just keep running. I took four 10 second walk breaks. I was told I have a nice smile- still enjoying this.

Ok, second to last water stop, no more walking. Finish the race with style. Pose for the camera. Round the corner to the bottom of the hill. I see the lighthouse. I see the finish. Hey, this is almost the exact same incline and length as the street I grew up on back home in Texas. Perfect. I know how to push thru this! All the way up. Use the crowd. Oh, I hear the girls. Almost there! Did they just say 'representing Astoria'? How lame! I should have put Texas on my registration. That would have sounded much cooler running through the finish! Wow! I made it!

*for more photos, check the facebook page!

Out of 700 registered racers, I placed 406th overall, 120th among women, and 12th in my division (women under 34 yrs) with a time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, 35 seconds...
thank you very much!