This Week in Paradise

This week went like this:


A few auditions, and a little shopping at the fancy Macy's on 34th Street, thanks to a gift card my sister Cyndi and her family gave me for Christmas.  I have been looking for some good rain boots, and lo and behold, I found some!  Because, let me tell you, living in a walking city when it is raining is not fun.  Mama needs some boots.  And some gloves with the little mitton tops that come off so I can text and stuff. :-)

Sign in an elevator in my friend's apartment building.  Di-sgusting.  I am pretty open about spitting being one of my top human habits that I find completely abhorrent.  NYC, I love ya, but you got a lot of spitters.  Nasty.

Debra on the subway in her new coat, strapping herself in.  Safety first.  Those train drivers can get a little crazy....

I went to dance class!  It was so fun!  I need to go more often, but time and money hamper the frequency with which I attend.  But it was a great class, and I felt very proactive in developing my craft on Wednesday.  Don't judge me that it was beginning theater dance.  I have been out of dancing for a long time; give me a break.  But I did feel some nostalgia for the days of walking around BYU campus in tons of layers of clothing, going from one dance class to the next, then to an English class, Science, what have you, in the same nasty 10 layers of clothing I had on all day, with no makeup.  Those were the days.  I owned that look all over again the other day.

My other Yay Me occasion of the week was a workshop I did to work on my audition material.  My friend Rance Wright puts them together.  He is a coach himself, and he brings in casting directors to also coach and give feedback.  It is a great chance to be exposed to some influential people in my industry, and to have them all help me improve my audition technique.  I have taken the class before, and had a great experience, so I took it again.  I loved it again.  I met great people, hopefully made some good connections, and really worked hard. 

After all my hard work, I deserved a treat, right?  Yes.  Yes I did.  And that treat was sweet potato fries and cheesecake from Houndstooth Pub.  And thank you.


I love Rance as a coach because we kind of speak the same language, so the way he goes about coaching really resonates with me.   It is all about trusting yourself, loving yourself, and communication.  It is funny; the last time I took the class I made the connection between my craft and my life.  I struggle with trusting myself; of course I am going to struggle with it in my work.  If I can love myself and accept that I am enough, all the time, that will have a great effect on my craft.  See the connection?  It was quite the epiphany for me.  I still struggle with all of those things, but it is a great journey, and I am so lucky to get to do what I am passionate about every day.  It was a wonderful class.  And Rance is a great friend.  I adore him.  We have known each other since our BYU days and we have both LIVED since then, so we really do understand each other.  I am glad to have him in my corner. 

And then there is always work.  Selllin' the merchandise.  This is what we do on a two-show Saturday to make the fact that we are working all day on a Saturday not quite so painful.  Dinner (Edison Cafe yesterday, the ultimate in comfort food) and a treat during the second show.  Yesterday it was Schmakery's, a gourmet cookie shop.  Let's be honest.  Most days it is Schmackery's.  I believe these cookies are, from left to right, maple bacon (not mine), s'mores, cookies and cream, caramel apple crisp, and chocolate chip.  Amazing.  

Next week brings more auditions, Evita's closing, a baby shower, and just more living the dream.  Happy Sabbath, all.