The little things

THE LITTLE THINGS

-   pumpkin spice lattes

-   clean sheets

-   clean laundry

-   someone surprising you with your favorite drink

-   free food

-   a “sorry” after being ran into

-   walking into the bathroom at work and NOT seeing pee on the toilet or the floor (If it’s really that hard to aim, PLEASE SIT DOWN)

-   the perfect amount of chocolate in your hot chocolate

-   the changing of leaves

-   birthdays

-   happy babies

-   seeing really old couples holding hands

-   smiles

-   eye contact without someone asking for money

-   puppies

-   compassion

-   a fresh coat of paint

-   cuddles

-   sunshine

Life is inundated with little things.  It’s little things that fill up most of our time, sandwiched between bigger little things, and big life changers.  I believe in “not sweating the small stuff,” but it’s also the little things that really can make someone’s day, or just confirm their already bad day.  When we go around so focused on what we want and how things are affecting us, and what are doing, and me, me, me, me, me there’s no room for the acknowledgement of others.  We all do it.  We get caught up in the little things in our own lives that take up time, that get us distracted, that allow us to forget the bigger picture, that allow us to lose compassion, that allow us to judge someone else who got caught up in their thing.  We need to remember the little things in life that help make it a little easier and a little more pleasant.  What little thing can I do that will help make someone’s day better, not worse?

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending the morning with a little thing that helped me changed my perspective for the day.

I don’t care who you are; a villain who wants to take over the world, a business man/woman, a homeless person on the street, a security guard, anybody; when a baby makes eye contact with you and smiles or giggles, and it’s directed toward you, you SMILE.  You smile back.  Every living being can see the pure innocent, untainted love that comes from a baby, and everyone responds with a smile.  Everyone wants more of that. 

It’s so simple, yet we make it so difficult.  We want the simple love that we are innately born with, that we spend our entire lives hardening by the little things . . . well often also by the big things.

But if you spend the day with a child who shows you their love unconditionally, it can’t help but change you.

We want to love and be loved, not just in the romantic way.  In the human way.  I’m telling you, when we laid down for a nap and I got free cuddles I think I was the happiest girl in town.  In those moments, nothing else matters.

phone adventures

A trip would not be complete without it’s set of challenges.  This normally includes a flight delay, a delay getting to the airport, a missed connection, or any number of things.

Mine was special this time.  It involved a very friendly man, who, apparently, I’m going to have to just assume, because we didn’t get to chat much, but apparently can’t find a job, or perhaps he has one, but it doesn’t pay very much.  I could go on and make up a whole background for him, but this really isn’t about him.  It’s about me, let’s be honest.

I have the pleasure of being a server in New York City.  This has perks because I need my days free for auditioning, and this allows me to do it.  Okay.  So, I guess it has A perk.  I kid, I kid.  I’m grateful for my job.  Anyway, along with being able to have my days free, does come the challenge of working late at night, and then, well, getting home on public transportation late at night.  I work on the upper west side, which is a very nice area, and I live on the upper east side, so I just take the cross town bus to and from work.

On Monday night, August 27^th, I left work around 12:15 or something like that.  Maybe 12:30.  I have a ten block walk to the bus, so I made a phone call on my way to the bus stop.  I talked the whole way there, and when I was about 2 blocks away, I saw my bus come and go, so I knew I was going to be waiting about 45 minutes for the next one.  I sat down, continued my conversation for the next 30 minutes or so, then hung up.  The bus wasn’t there yet, so I just started to look through instagram on my phone.  All of a sudden, someone runs up to me, grabs my phone out of my hand, and keeps running.  Now, he did it so fast, that at first I thought it must have been someone that I knew and they were playing a joke on me.  Then, I quickly realized I didn’t know this person at all, and they really just grabbed my phone right out of my hand and ran away.  I stood up, yelled some frustrations toward him as he ran into the night and rounded the corner.  My first instinct was to rush after him and yell at him to tell him to 1. Pick on someone his own size or hey, even better 2. GET A JOB AND BUY YOUR OWN STUFF.  Now, all of this would have felt violating and annoying and been a pain in the butt on it's own, but, to add icing on the cake, I was going on vacation a day later. 

T-mobile has a policy where they don’t let you get a new phone in the store when that happens.  You have to get it shipped, so I had to go with no phone.  I did have it shipped where I was going.  I had insurance, but they did charge a $130 deductible.  So, basically the nice man, who clearly needed a phone more than I did, stole $130 from me.

Obviously it could have been worse.  He could have taken my bag with my ID, debit card, and paychecks inside.  Or, he could have hurt me in some way, and he didn’t, so I am grateful for that. 

I received my new phone, it’s shiny and new.  It all worked out.  Fortunately I do have a job, so I have the ability to get a new one, and unfortunately for him, we all reap what we sow.

I do know I can’t walk around in fear and trembling hoping nothing bad ever happens.  I’m protected.

Another slippery step, another adventure in this thing called life.

climbing the waterfall

Adventures in      Lessons,

                     Insights,

                     Frank

                     Evaluations

Adventures in life.  Adventures in babysitting.  Adventures in auditioning.  Adventures in class.  Adventures on the streets of New York.  Adventures in serving tables.

Fun stuff.  This is my life. 

Picture a beautiful waterfall.  Not one of those waterfalls that trickles.  No, not a wussy waterfall.  This is a tall waterfall off the side of a very steep, rugged cliff.  A waterfall that you can stand under, but would knock you out if you stood under it for too long.  There’s a spot between the water and the cliff on the ground that is the best view of all.  You get a shot of the back of the waterfall with just a nice consistent spray on your face, that’s just enough to cool you off . . . not enough to soak you.  Now, this waterfall is picture perfect at all times of the day.  It changes colors with the sunrise, and new colors with the sunset.  At almost every time of day, at some angle you can see a rainbow.  Sometimes a few from different angles all at once, and at even more exciting times you can see a double rainbow.

Now, picture this.  A determined girl puts on hiking gear.  She puts on hiking shoes, she expects a wet one, so she puts on a poncho, brings her umbrella that attaches to her head. Clearly she needs her hands free.  She has decided that her hike of choice will not be up a mountain, but  . . . wait for it . . . up the WATERFALL.  Yes.  She is determined.  Will she make it?

Well, I do venture to say there will be many times when she falls on her tookis.  Chances are, she’s going to get exhausted.  She might perhaps need a little supernatural help from time to time.  No doubt, she’ll get discouraged.  No doubt she’ll fall down and want to give up.  But, she’s decided she’s not stopping until she’s up that blasted waterfall.  She doesn’t just want to see it from the back or from afar.  She doesn’t care that traditionally you don’t “climb waterfalls.”  This will be an adventure.  I don’t know if fun or blissful would be the words used to describe this adventure, but I would say rewarding would be.

This is my adventure.  Not blissful.  Not easy.  Not glamorous. Worth it.  I’m climbing the waterfall of life, and there’s no way I can do it on my own. 

In the same way that the water has no ability to form colors without the sun, spray your face the perfect amount from behind, create double rainbows, or do anything or be anything by itself, that’s the same way I intend on climbing this thing.  The ONE who creates the rainbows will get me where I’m going one slip step at a time.

The Art of Waiting

I've never done such a thing as write a blog!
They say "the best things come to those who wait."  Well, Heinz says that.  Also, I know that patience is a virtue and a quality of love.  I have lots of opportunities to discover this virtue of patience that is within me.  Deep within me.  These opportunities unfold in situations of:  being non-equity in New York City.  Ahhhh . . . the coveted little yellow card with your very own name on it.  Your golden ticket to the quick lane, your golden ticket to not wait for 9 hours and maybe not get seen, your golden ticket to getting to see the actual casting director face to face.  The golden ticket.  "Good things come to those who wait."  So, the show then is the really thick, not too sweet, but just sweet enough ketchup if you will, and if you hold it at just the right angle it'll come out on it's own time -- and boy, will it be worth it.  HOWEVER, if you hit the "57" on the side, the ketchup comes out.  You don't have to wait and you get the same product.  It doesn't alter the taste or texture or overall quality of the product.  You just have to know where to hit . . . which leads me to my next point . . . there's always somewhere to hit.  But WHERE?  The Bible (which I believe and follow) tells me that God's favor surrounds me like a shield.  It tells me to be anxious for nothing.
So . . . waiting . . . what to do while doing it . .. the act of waiting.  First, you asses the room.  You look around and see all of your fellow "wait mates" for the day.  You observe everyone who knows each other and you hear bits and pieces of all their conversations.  What auditions they went on earlier in the week, how the went, who they ran into earlier in the week, what else they're going to this week.  Then there's the squeal!  "Oh!  I haven't seen you since summer stock '04!!!!  How have you BEEN????"  You watch everyone transform from their travel clothes to a pretty musical theatre princess.  They have it down to an art.  They group off in pairs or groups of 3's, and hold down the fort.  Usually right around 11:30 or noon (about 5 hours after you got there), they come out and say that the "non-equities" (non golden ticket holders) can leave until after lunch.  SO . . . a fun adventure on the train to the upper east side to go home and grab a quick bite, then back to the fun-filled room of auditionees.  Some are listening to music, some are making small talk, some are playing sudoku, reading plays, novels, newspapers all hoping to just be seen.  It happens.  Sometimes you wake up at 6:00am to stand in line and the audition ends at 5:30pm and you, my friend, did not get to audition.  So, if they DO call your name, you better BRING IT.
If I show up, I've done my part.  Then I can put it into God's hands.  He can do His job when I take the step.  You can't steer a parked car.  So, if I need to wait, I'll wait.
And guess what???!!!!  They called my name!  Literally the LAST audition of the day.  He's never early is He?  Right on time.