Catch Up
Mood:  celebratory

So, life has been pretty good.  In late December I was working on the new Joaquin Phoenix film and the director upgraded me and gave me a line and a bit to do with Joaquin.  As we were signing our contracts (two other actors were also upgraded that day)  first AD came by and said the director thanked us for a good job and that the scene was cruitial to the film, so we didn't have to worry about being cut out.  Hopefully, he is right and there I will be when the movie comes out.  It's called "Two Lovers."

I also got to work on the film "Doubt" for five days, which was great.  I was a paritioner in Philip Seymour Hoffman's parish.  We were listening to his sermons.  I really like the direction he's taking the character.  Even though, when I worked on the scene from the play, I was convinced he was guilty, sitting there in the context of the church, he completely won me over as a paritioner.  So, I'll be excited to see it when it comes out in December.

I'm taking my first real vacation in 6 years next week for a few days with one of my best friends. Going back to Disney World.  Never thought I would miss it like I have been, since last time I was there I hated how it had changed.  But I think three days will be a good amount of time to see if I'm really missing it or the phantom of what it once was.

AND my Eddie Izzard is back in New York for two weeks, so tomorrow night and for 4 other nights I will be laughing my butt off.  I've so missed his energy.

Going to see Matchbox 20 for Valentine's Day as well. 

I love celebrating life this way!!

Here we are at the beginning of a new year and for the first time in my life I have a really good feeling about what's to come.  I have no idea what will be coming, but I'm excited to find out.  Maybe it's because as of Midnight January 1, 2008, I metaphorically and literally let go of a period in my life that was full of pain and confusiion, but also transformation and creativity.  It was a side of myself I had never explored, but needed that exploration and in the last week I've been feeling whole in a way I've never felt beore.

So, whatever's a-comin' I'll be  flowing with it!

Great things about this year:

1.  Produced a successful equity showcase.

2.  Got to meet and speak with the man who has been my muse for the last  seven years and found out he actually knew who I was. 

3. Got a small speaking part in a major motion picture that will be out this year.

4. Made some great new friends, enjoyed and appreciated the peope who have been my friends for years, and let go of some people whose acqaintance just did not serve me. This was painful but necessary and my other friends, who could only stand by and watch what had been happening, were supportive and relieved (they are the best friends a girl could have!)

Here's to 2008!

Mood:  lyrical
Topic: music

It's almost 1 a.m. and though I'm as fried as can be, my internal clock is messed up and I'm wide awake from the fantastic week I had. 

It didn't start out the happiest, the 5th anniversary of my mother's passing was the 11th and I was feeling a bit depressed.  But my friend Susie accompanied me to see a favorite singer/songwriter of mine, Todd Martin, that night and it felt like mom was humming along with me.  

At the end of the week Pat Monahan was in town to do The Today show in support of his new album "Last of Seven," which was released September 18.  I thought of hauling my butt down there, even set the alarm for 6 (not knowing what time he would be on), but just couldn't get myself out of bed.  Tickets to his show at  Webster Hall were going on sale anyway, so I stayed home and got my ticket.

Then sometime that afternoon, I was talking to a friend and looking at myspace, when a bulliten popped up that Pat was going to go to Washington Square Park w/two of his band to hang out and sing.  Well, who could pass up that opportunity?  And I wanted to be there to support him. So, down I went and watched the crowd grow and grow from me, Jeanine (one of my Train friends), his wife and his three sisters to about 150 people!  Fantastic!  He sang in the middle of the park for almost two hours. 

The kids were really into it.  One young girl beside me said "That band is going to be famous!"  LOL!  A guy behind me said "He has a fantastic voice, who is he?"  When I told him who he was, he didn't believe me until Pat launched into "Drops of Jupiter."

Next night another impromptu gig at an East Village club called Niagra and another great performance.  Just as I was recovering on Sunday, he announced another gig, this time at The Cutting Room. 

Of course I was going to go, it's the beauty of living in Manhattan.  I spoke to him here and there that night.  Turns out he actually does know my name.  That impressed me, though I find it hard to believe that he knows I'm the one who had the art show or the one who takes an inordinant amount of concert photos, or the one he sang "Your Every Color" for in Birmingham.  And that's okay.  There are a lot of fans out there. 

Jeanine, Susie and I went straight from The Cutting Room to Virgin Megastore in Times Square to get our copies of the cd.

Though I hope it does well for him, I'm not a fan of the first single, so I anxiously put the cd in the computer and started listening.  I have to say, I really like the cd overall.  The first single is actually the only song I don't like.  He has one of the most beautiful voices out there, I only hope he gets the recognition he deserves.  Check out the album on Amazon.com or itunes.  I'm not feeling the pr that sony has done for him so far.  Third hour of Today, an early morning Fox News (shudder!) show, Howard Stern (I know they're friends, but is that the widest audience sony could come up with?)  I was never a music publicist, but I'm sure I could figure out how to get him out there better.  I hope they come through for him.

Last night, he played another little club, The Living Room, and it was another great set.

How often do you get to see one of your favorite performers like that.  It was a great 7 days!  And a way to get through what is for me the most difficult week of the year.  

Another Ending for Another Unknown Beginning

Tomorrow is my last day at Barnes and Noble.  It was such a great experience and I met so many great people.  I just couldn't take standing for 8 hours a pop.  As much as I looked forward to going to work every Saturday, I dreaded how I was going to feel Saturday night and through to Tuesday morning.  The aching, just feeling raw.  I would recuperate by Thursday, feel great and then it would start all over again on Saturday.  I hope my co-workers and I can keep in touch.  Of course I know where to find them!

So another period in my life ends.  Don't know what's coming, but I can feel it's something interesting.  Leaving B&N opens me up for the next step in my journey and understanding.  

After giving my notice I got two background jobs and I hope they keep on coming now.  I enjoy doing it and it's great survival money.  Of course I'm hoping for a role here and there, but at least I'll be walking in the right direction.

I haven't let go of my desire to be concert photographer.  Still need to figure out how to shove my foot in that door, but I know when it's time the opportunity will nudge me and I'll be ready.

I'm also looking forward to more painting.  I have so many paintings in my head, time to get them on canvas.

Have been put into Pat Monahan's "Top Friends" section on his "Myspace" site.  Such a delightful shock!  Had no idea he knew I even existed.    I've given him the photos I've taken at concerts, told him about my paintings, etc., but figured I appeared as just a blurr.   I'm so honored, yet nonplussed! 

Will be leaving for NC w/some inspirational instruction books that fellow bookseller Albert has suggested.  There's always a teacher around if you're paying attention.

Looking around the corner, waiting for what's next.............

Chris, Neil, Nick and all other Mythical Creatures
Had a lovely 4 days off this week.  Tuesday night I went to see Chris Isaak in concert.  An amazing performer, hilarious man and one of the rare ones who is good to his fans.  Enjoyed him enormously, great voice, fantatic guitar player, dreamy wicked blue eyes and let's face it a bit of a fantasy.  He does something I've never seen anyone do and has been doing it for years and years.  Immediately after each show, no matter what, he sets up a table and signs autographs for whoever wants one until the last person is gone.  He makes sure to have eye contact and make each person feel that he appreciates them for being there.  I hate getting autographs, but I line right up for him.  There's nothing awkward about it.  Love him! 

Yesterday, went with my friend Jean to the Museum of Natural History to see the Mythical Creatures exhibit.  Both of us are into mythology, mermaids and I'm especially into Unicorns.  Advertising looked promising, tickets actually cost a whopping $26, so you'd think you would be seeing a real display.  It was quite disappointing.  There was so much more that could have been done so many more elements that could have been used.  It's basically a few large plaster statues of the creatres, very short and fairly unmeaningful videos talking about the creatres, and some old books behind glass that are hard to see because it's quite dim in there.  Jean and I would have been much better curators!  It was a nice day, but, oh well...

Later I went to see Crowded House, of my favorite rock groups and THEY didn't disappoint.  Played just the right mix of new stuff and old hits.  Made me smile and smile.  Pete Yorn opened for them.  Had never really heard of him before but he was wonderful.  Guess I'll be visiting Virgin soon for some cds.

Pete (right):

 

Crowded House:

Neil:

Nick:

I was too far back to suit me for both of the concerts.  Made taking decent pictures difficult.  But I suppose they aren't horrible, just not what I would have liked to have taken.

It's just feels great to be able to experience the people who make the music that makes me so happy.  Mythical creatures though they are!

Why I like plants better than men
Mood:  cheeky

Here's a plant update.  My cherry tomatos haven't blossomed yet, but one of them is about 6'2' and still growing.  Here are some shots of the other plants I grew from seeds.

Now why you may ask would I say such a thing about men and plants, well here it is:

Plants, like sweet furry animals, thrive under lots of attention.  They don't take the nurturing the wrong way in fact they blossom and give you thanks by being the beautiful souls that they are.

And that's what I have to say about that!!!

Looks like my ex-friend landed an incredible print job, as one of the faces of Chemistry.com.  It's a 10 million dollar ad campaign!  My friend David, found the ad in NEXT magazine and showed it to me.  It's hilarious and I'm so happy for him.  He started working really hard almost a year ago, submitting himself and auditioning for acting and modeling jobs and it's finally paying off for him.  I thought briefly about sending him a note of congratulations, but what would be the point really.  He wouldn't appreciate it. After trying to help him through a rough period in his life, he spit on me.  So why waste the ink?  He wasn't the person I thought he was in this life, but he's still my brother in spirit and I'm thrilled for him and hope his success continues.

God, I LOVE my mother!
Mood:  celebratory

Eddie Izzard is going to be a guest on the Daily Show tonight.  I've been aware of this for a while.  In fact, last week,  I thought I'd go to the Daily Show site to see if by chance there would be any tickets available for tonight.  There weren't.  I just shrugged to myself.  There's little chance I will ever see him live again.  Three years ago, by shear chance and coincidence (am I being redundant?)  I got to see him perform in Islington.  The last time he performed here, the ticketing system was so messed up that even when the ticket person told me I had tickets, they came back on and told me I lost them during the time it took to take my credit card number.  I've sort of given up.    However, yesterday, realizing today would be my mother's 80th birthday, I went back on the Daily Show site and wouldn't you know, tonight's show was listed.  I quickly clicked on the date and was informed there was one ticket left!  I snagged it.  Anyone who knows me knows how appropriate it is for me to see Eddie on my mother's birthday.  The man unknowingly got me through my grieving her sudden death (by being in New York for about 6-8 months thereafter in a Broadway play and hanging out in my neighborhood, so I would see him several times a week, sometimes just passing on the sidewalk, and it would cheer me).  Can't help but feel my mom had some pull in getting me to the show tonight!  I know it sounds insane, but her spirit still flits and flutters around me, I can feel her laughter in moments like these.  She loved to entertain, and had a passion for movies, television and celebrity.  It's just the kind of thing she'd adore doing.  So, last night I went to see a film I have a small part in (was happy with my work), tonight Eddie and John Stewart, and tomorrow "Ocean's 13."  The perfect way to celebrate of my mother's life! Happy Birthday Mom!

 

 

Mood:  happy
Been looking at my new life.  I have such positive people around me now.  From my friends to the guys I'm working with a few days a week.  Makes life so much easier.  No more dramas, just being with agendaless people.  I feel in the right place right now.  Sold a couple of paintings, finished my sweater and it looks great, feeling peaceful.  I can breathe now.  Happy sigh!

Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirate's Life For Me.......
What a relief!  After loathing the second installment of "Pirates" I approached the theatre tonight with trepidation.  I was so pleasantly surprised that I'm still smiling.  Though I wouldn't say it's as good as the first one, the third has done much to win me back to the franchise and hope that there will be a fourth.  I was in a full audience and they didn't seem to get the jokes, perhaps they were fans of the second one and wanted more cgi, but I'm so grateful that this one focused on character and story as opposed to the focus on special effects and action of the second one.  They even got in some good inside ride jokes.  Yeah, loved it.  Will be seeing it again.