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| taking a leap of faith as Maria Elena |
Updates, updates, updates. Buddy Holly has come and gone, and put me into a whole new frame of mind. It truly was an amazing experience for me. I had the same type of feelings that I had before leaving for Superstar
that very first year. I had no expectations of what would be coming my way and
was open to everything. I was in uncharted territory in every sense of
the word. I don't think I've ever been pushed or challenged so much to change my perceptions and face notions that I had about myself at any other time in my life. To come to the realization that I'm only human at the end of the day, and that sometimes I need to take time for myself, and if I neglect that, I will lose myself and my way. To see that although things don't always pan out how I want them to, there are lessons to be learned from every turning point. To understand that in order to move forward and grow, risks are absolutely necessary. To realize that I should never take for granted the love that I have in my corner always. To try to remember to carry thanks in my heart, because everything is a blessing.
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| signing my Equity Contract! |
It was just amazing to be away from the city and to be in a normal town, able to drive, and able to have so much fun everyday both in the creative process and out of it with my cast mates! I was rejuvenated to the fullest extent. I was able to do all the things that I had been telling myself I was going to do, but just wasn't able to start. Working out, eating healthy, having fun, not worrying about money. And I got my Equity card. I feel like I'm stepping into a door that had been closed to me and now I've been let in. It was rough to come home, back to Astoria and my 'normal' life, but I realized this time is different, because now I'm no longer substituting, so I have the opportunity to build my life around wanting to audition, take classes, maintain my fitness and just be in the city!
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| My new lady friends. We work out! |
I made some new girl friends that I really have come to love, and I feel like they are my big sisters, and women I can look up to at the same time because they have accomplished things in their careers that I want for my own. I feel like things are possible for me now, I just have to take the action and do. T helped me find a hostessing gig that I've been at since December, and E helped me to start catering more. My money situation still isn't quite where I want it to be, but I refuse to let that get me down. I know things are finally changing for the better. I am on the lookout for more job opportunities here in the city, but I have these things in the meantime to keep the money coming in. I signed up for a 6 week dance workshop as a gift to myself for the new year, and today is the 5th week. It's 2 hours once a week, and it's been worth it, and I look forward to continuing on with dance classes when the workshop is finished. I feel like I am getting better at picking up choreography which is what I really wanted to do, while refreshing my body in technique and vocabulary that I hadn't thought about since my highschool/college days. Next on the list: voice lessons. A must. The desire that I have in my body to sing and get my voice back into 'shape' is tremendous. Always on my mind. That's one goal for this month, at the very least set up a voice lesson for March. On the horizon in March: a commercial print class. It has to happen! I think about it everyday as something I could do to make more money and supplement the lifestyle I see myself living at this moment. I need to trust my intuitions more, and I'm allowing myself to do just that- listen in and see what's calling out to me.
Here's a little of what I did @ the Flatrock Playhouse:
