Gifts from the Heart

This is such an unusual Christmas. For one, I'm getting married the day after. Wow. Just mind-blowing bliss. And I'm trying to keep track of all the last minute stuff. My sister-in-law suggested making a check-off list, so I've started doing that. I'm just hoping everything runs smoothly. So far so good!

Add to that the usual Christmas run-around. I went to Rockefeller Center the other day to check out the new Lionel Train Store for my brother-in-law, and so I caught a glimpse of the infamous tree:

My honey and I try to go every year, and maybe we'll make it this weekend, but if not, I feel like the tradition still stands. I saw The Tree. And while it seems greener this year than last (maybe it's the lights), it's still magnificent.

I love this town. I love that people were wishing each other Happy Hanukkah last week and that they're greeting each other with "Merry Christmas" this week.

I love that every moment is a gift, and I am so thankful for the bounty of blessings that are in my life. Friends sharing their life lessons with me, family coming together, these are gifts that are last forever!

And with everything going on, I'm amazed that I'm still able to maintain my audition schedule, but it's my job, and it's what I love to do, so I made sure to get my postcards out to agents and casting directors, and I hit an audition yesterday for the Irish Rep.

The director was so kind, laughing at my comical piece and thanking me for my choice of material, and I am so glad I went. Every time I hit an audition, I get stronger. I can feel it in my work. And yeah, I could easily choose to skip auditions since I have so much on my plate right now with the holidays and my wedding. But every time I go, I learn and grow, and it feels wonderful. And with the creative teams giving me these hearty nods of encouragement, I know I'm on the right track.

Like the evergreen trees that stay tall and lush in the winter, like the holly and ivy in my red rose bridal bouquet, I am vibrant and full of life, love and artistry. And I keep growing! I love it!

Hope your holidays are very merry!

Full Speed Ahead!

I'm a Star Wars kid, and I remember seeing that scene where they jumped to lightspeed for the first time. It was miraculous!

I still get a kick out of it!

And now, where I'm at in my life, I feel like I'm making the jump to lightspeed!

I'm getting married in 18 days. The holidays are in full swing. I'm hitting auditions, making sure to savor each step of the way. In fact that holds true for all areas of my life!

"I'm deriving a great deal of pleasure from each and every one of you, as if you were chocolates."- Wallace Shawn, Grasses of a Thousand Colors.

And I'm so grateful for all the incredibly cool people I've met this year. From working with old buddies like the Hell's Belles creative team on their new musical, Argentina Rumpus...

... to reuniting with the Kaboom crew for an improv event and the staged reading of Michael Small's new play, Got You...

... to meeting so many wonderfully talented people in Karen Kohlhaas' classes at the Atlantic Acting School. It's a pleasure to work with such incredible people, and I've fully realized that we all have something delicious to bring to the table! It's a thrill to share in such bounty!

I met with some musical theatre friends last night - amazingly talented people with Broadway credits on their resumes - and we nurtured each other in our preparations for auditions. It was a great forum, and I'll be doing the same thing tomorrow night with some more students from Karen's classes, focusing on monologues, scenework and goals.


Karen talks about doing what you need to do to find satisfaction as an actor, and her Advanced Monologue class particularly focuses on time management skills and creating healthy daily habits. Seriously, her classes are the best investment an actor could make. I have felt richer and freer in my work, bolder, always making discoveries, breaking through boundaries. It's thrilling!

And that's where I feel like I'm at in my life. "Unlimited... my future is unlimited."

I am so thankful to be on this ride, and I'm ready to make the jump to lightspeed!