Snowstorm 2016!

We've been receiving news in the city of an incoming snow storm, our first of the season.  About a week ago we had our first snowfall, but it was so slight that it really just dotted the yards and sidewalks for an evening and was gone by the ext morning.  This storm?  This was supposed to be "the one".  Reports varied pretty wildly, from five inches to possible twelve inch snowfalls.  Flights had been changed in anticipation, I got advice to "shop up" before it got here, and be prepared for things to shut down.  Thus far, however, I had not heard mention of "snowpocalypse", which had been bandied about last year, and then turned out in large to be a disappointment (if it can be said to be a disappointment when a storm anticipated to shut down the city and damage businesses doesn't end up doing that).  Reports as to when this storm would arrive also varied, as some said it would begin Friday afternoon, and others believed it would start on Saturday.

I, unfortunately cannot tell you exactly when it arrived.  As of 8PM last night, all was well.  I've been dog sitting for my dear friend in Queens, and after my Yorkie friend and I took a walk around the block, I microwaved a Lean Cuisine, started up Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone and we cuddled up, waiting for the snow to "bring it".

Well, it came.  Our window overlooks the apartment's rooftop, which is at covered with at least three to four inches of snow.

NEWS UPDATE:  I'm streaming WNYC as I type this, and I've been told that we may get 18-20 inches.  Lord.  I didn't take anybody's advice.  I didn't "shop up" as I was told to", and if everything is closed, I will be living off cans of vegetable soup until further notice.  Which isn't the worst news.  Think what it will do to my figure!!??!

An Optimistic Outlook for 2016

This past year was a pretty monumental one as far as life changes go, and no matter what happens now, 2015 willRegardless of what happens in this city, it will forever be the year I got up the courage to move to New York City, a decision I'd been skirting for years.  But a lot of tiny events came together to make it happen, and I am so grateful to those events and those people who were a part of that, and to those who make it a place I still want to be.

I'm grateful to Kirk and Heather, who provided a place for me to get my bearings and were my ambassadors to this real life Emerald City.  I'm thankful for my dear friend Leslie Carrara Rudolph, who is a constant source of mirth and heartfelt support.  I'm thankful to my family most of all, who have given my little dog a perfect second home and told me to "go for it", in spite of the fact they worried for me, and probably continue to worry for me.  I'm grateful to my dear friends in Austin, who have been such a lifeline when I'm roaming the streets of New York feeling a little untethered.  I'm grateful to my new friends here, especially those at The New York Transit Museum, for showing me what amazing things are here.  And, I'm grateful to whatever it is in me that decided to do this after fearing it so long.

For years, every time I hear or read or otherwise encounter that quote about your heart's desire being found in the thing you fear most, I would think "yep, that's probably true".  I also knew without giving it much thought, what I feared most and wanted most.  And then I would go about planning a future that did not include my coming face to face with that deep desire and deepest fear.  Chicago?  Possibly.  Seattle??  It's a thought.  New York??  Not possible.

It's safe to say that if Kirk and Heather hadn't come here first I may never have gotten up the guts to do this.  My idea of what's possible for me has been limited by fear and doubt.   It's a daily struggle to stretch those limitations, and sometimes t's easier to give in to television or sleep or donuts than it is to move forward, but it is happening.   When these efforts feel pointless I'm often reminded of a quote from the book From Beast To Blonde, one I read more than fifteen years ago and that I've spent a lot of time trying to relocate (it's a behemoth of a book).  It's probably the most inspiring and comforting quote I've ever read, and I can't begin to paraphrase it aptly, but it spoke about fairy tales, specifically Russian fairy tales, and how the most common theme in them is that if you declare your intentions and have faith to step out into the world, the world will come to your aid in unimaginable ways.  It's seen again and again when the young boy or girl, underestimated by a world that favors brute strength, ventures on a quest, shows kindness on his or her journey, and is aided by those she helps along the way.  Every time in the past when I had a tough decision to make, and asked myself "should I?" I've thought of that quote, and whether or not I had the courage to follow its advice, it shaped so many of my decisions.  I know there's a much simpler quote (a bible quote?) but for me, it was never said better than in that book that I happened upon back then.

So, I'm grateful to be here, feeling the feelings, and I'm attempting to be grateful even for those experiences that have been far from pleasant.  But what now?  Well, for one, I'm committed to making further advances in my creative journey.

A few days ago I had my first session with a pianist that was so encouraging.  There have been times in the past few years when came to doubt that I had any vocal chops, or that I could make my way through this crowd of talent.  To feel somewhat championed by a talented, new to me face who has heard a lot of singers, gave me a much needed boost as well as some terrific advice on the crafting of my "book" (the book of sheet music that goes with me to each audition) and how to tailor it to what I have to offer.

My next step will be an audition for a straight play coming up on the 22nd of this month, followed by a musical audition for agents.  It's an ongoing climb, but I'm keeping the faith that the climb is worth it, no matter what.

Rainbow's World

On my way home to Texas I was somewhat desperately looking for a book to tide me over on the airplane trip home, as I'd just finished my last one, and I've never been one who listens to podcasts or music on a plane ride, because it's such a perfect time to catch up on reading.  I had plenty of time in the Newark Airport, as I'd arrive three hours prior to my flights departure, and it was delayed even further by weather issues in Colorado (go figure).  I'd pretty much covered the entire store, but hadn't made it to YA.  There's a reason.  I always feel like a creepy old man in the "Young Adult" section.  Like I'm A- someone who refuses to grow up and thinks I still AM a teen, or B-  I want to spy on the teens of America like some kind of a peeping Tom.  And it's not that I haven't read Young Adult fiction, it's just not my number one or number two choice, and any time I do it feels like a guilty pleasure (a term I'm not a huge fan of, as I usually think we should like what we like and be proud of all our pleasures unless there really is something harmful to others in them).

This is the long way of explaining what guided me to Rainbow Rowell's take on the world of magic and schools of sorcery, Carry On.  I'd heard a lot of wonderful things about Rowell's work, mostly of her award winning novel Eleanor and Park, and I'm so glad that I decided to plunge into her world.

It's not her plotting that makes her stand out, but her style, and the intense amount of warmth and optimism that she infuses these characters with.  There's a sense of optimism in her, a sense that made the loneliness of being a new person in the big city seem to evaporate for a while.   I loved these people in her fictional world and I wanted to make them my friends.  Pathetic as it may seem, that feeling of escape, that sense of not being alone for awhile, that's one of the great big giant reasons I read.  I read in the hope of getting lost in something other than myself.

If I think about it, it's one of the reasons I got into acting, and singing, and writing (although writing sometimes seems to have the opposite affect while I'm in the process, placing me in direct confrontation with myself)... but I digress.

Once I finished the book, as the days passed, the more I wanted to go back to her world, to steep in her ideas.  But mostly I wanted more Simon and Baz, the central characters in Carry On.  Luckily, there was a place to go for exactly that thing.  Because here's the somewhat unique origin story of The World of Mages.  It was created as a fictional Potter universe for Cath, the main character in Rowell's novel Fangirl, to obsess over, and stories of Simon and Baz are sprinkled throughout.

In fact, Rowell loved the characters so much that she decided to expand their lives and give them a book of their own.  I loved this book nearly as much as the first, and will definitely read everything she writes until I've sopped up every bit of her writing.

If you are thinking of reading her, there are a few different entry points.  If you don't want to read YA, she has also written a couple of adult novels, and if you aren't into fantasy, you could start with Eleanor and Park.

That said, if you are thinking of reading about Simon Snow, I would highly recommend reading Carry On before reading Fangirl, as it will give you a purer perspective to be introduced to the story. But regardless of what book you start with, I encourage you to start.

Severus Snape In Chronological Order

We lost Alan Rickman on Thursday, days after the passing of David Bowie, and while I feel enough people are speaking about both of their contributions to culture both in film and music, I did want to share a clip I found of Alan Rickman's important scenes from the Harry Potter films.  The link promised me it would have me feeling all the feelings, and it did.  I would give a small warning.  If you have any pride, don't watch it in a Starbucks, but in the privacy of your own home.

Having watched this, it reminds me how emotional and evocative those films were in bringing Hogwarts and it's universe to life.  I'll always be a fan of the fiction first, but a revisitation of the movies is definitely in order.