Rock the vote OR Seasons change

Get out there and do it!


Betcha think today's post is going to be about voting and politics. WRONG! It's not that I don't care or have lots of thoughts on those subjects, I just don't intend to use my blog as a place to display those thoughts. I think it comes from living in NYC for so long (and during the last election) where people would come up to you on the street and scream at you about their political views. I happily filled out my absentee ballot last month in a room alone and am looking forward to avoiding the polls today!

I have seasonal nostalgia, y'all. Every time the seasons change, I get a little yearning feeling in my heart for places I've lived before. Fall is the worst. I miss Ithaca, NY, where I lived for three years. It was the first place I experienced what I would consider a "real" fall. Having only lived in the south until I moved there, I had never even owned a scarf. It was like a new world was opened up to me when I moved up there and experienced Apple Fest, colored leaves that seemed to explode on the trees overnight, crisp fall mornings and the like. I even had these feelings about Ithaca when I moved to NYC. On the other hand, when living in NYC, I would always get really excited when Christmastime rolled around. (More excited than usual, if you can imagine that!) I can't even describe how much fun it was to walk through the streets I'd always seen on TV and see them decked out for the holidays. The tree at Rockefeller Center, the Unicef Snowflake across 5th Avenue (which my friend Matthew called the "Unisex" snowflake), Macy's window displays, giant wreaths, musical light shows inside the Time Warner Center, the tree at Lincoln Center and the Christmas music pumping through speakers on Steinway Street in Queens are just a few of the things I'll miss seeing first-hand this year. When living up north, I always got really nostalgic for the south when the seasons changed to warmer weather. I love summertime in the south, even the blazing heat. There's nothing like a small-town 4th of July or a Southern Easter with a picnic. I hope I'm always able to embrace these feelings, as I think they keep me connected to where I have been and help remind me how I got to where I am today.














You are miiiiiiiiiiine! Myyyyyyyy mooooommmmyyyyyyyy! You will do what I say because I have cast a spell on you with my cuteness! Gimme Cheeeeeeeerrrriiiiiiiiooooooooooooooos!

It's a good place to be.

**Don't forget that Starbuck's will give you free coffee if you go in and tell them you voted! Certain Ben and Jerry's locations will also give you a free scoop! Yay, America!

I forgot this part

The part of small-town southern life, that is, that moves s-l-o-w-l-y. Don't get me wrong, half the reason we left NYC was to slow things down. I'm talking about things like the delivery company Babies R Us told me to call to deliver Dean's crib telling me they didn't return my call yesterday because they decided to close early to go to their daughter's house for dinner and they can't book me for delivery until NEXT WEEKEND. Uh, we'll borrow a truck, thanks. Or the furniture company bringing our living room sofa and love seat (which are great, by the way), but not having the coffee table or end tables in stock. They hope to have them by Wednesday. Rooms To Go also has to bring us a new dresser because the one in our bedroom has a big ding in the corner. But they left the dinged one. Because "Oh, we don't take the bad one, ma'am." Uh, ok. And the Chinese food is pretty bad.

On the other hand, we were able to snag an appointment for Dean at our top-choice pediatrician the same day we called last week to get his cough checked out. (he had a cold) And it takes Marcus a mere 10 minutes (if that) to get to and from work...a welcome change from his 90-plus minute commute from Queens to Brooklyn. And our grocery store ROCKS.

Dean has a date this evening. It's kind of a blind date. One of Marcus's colleagues is bringing her daughter over to play. She's an older woman--she'll be 2 later this month. We, the parents, have been really excited for the two of them to meet. I'm sure good times will ensue, so I'll be sure to snap some pictures to post.

Before I go, I wanted to send good wishes to Molly over at "Lost A Sock." She'll be checking into the hospital in the morning to deliver her third child and first daughter. Good vibes and wishes for a great delivery!

I have to go take pictures of Dean now. He's standing in his exersauces beating the tar out of the little plastic dog that sings "Do You Know The Muffin Man?". What a charmer.

I'm in a New York state of mind

Tomorrow marks the final day of my four-year stint as a New York City resident. It's one of the most bittersweet things I've ever experienced. A part of me still can't believe I ever moved here in the first place. I never imagined myself living here, even when I was preparing for a career in theatre. I assumed I'd end up at a regional theatre or maybe a University. Turns out I did things backwards--regionals and teaching first, big bad city second. The first time I visited the city, back in 2001 for my graduate class showcase, I knew it had an energy like nothing I'd ever experienced before. The more I visited, the more I wanted and needed to be a part of that energy. Part of move wanted to see if I could keep up. Another part of me knew I could. To say NYC welcomed me with opened arms is the understatement of the century. Things happened fast once I got here and now, looking back, it all seems like yesterday.

My first night as a New Yorker was spent at Meredith's Brooklyn Heights apartment. I met up with her at the Biltmore Theatre as soon as I got off the bus and we went out for Mexican food. It POURED rain and there were no cabs to be gotten, so we took the subway. My first subway ride as a resident. Clutching my map. Drenched. Tugging at my suitcase. Terrified. Today I took my last subway ride as a New Yorker with my four month old son riding happily on my front in his Baby Bjorn. It was a much less eventful ride--we went to the mall to turn in our cable box. I didn't even look to see which train we were getting on because I knew I could get us home no matter which line we took. That ride made me think about who I was when I got here versus who I am now. While I like both of those versions of me, I cannot imagine myself now without the experience of living here. I'm thrilled to be going back to a small southern town, but I'm even more thrilled that I have had the stamina, drive, temporary insanity (???!!!) and guts to tough this place out for this long. The experiences Marcus and I have had here, both together and separate, will certainly play a part in how we raise Dean. If he ever decides to do something we think is just a little crazy, all we have to do is remind ourselves how many months we spent in this tiny one-room apartment and things should fall into perspective pretty quickly.

Since I've been here, I've made some amazing friends and built on some existing friendships. To my friends here who have become my New York family, thank you for your time, energy, love and support. I will miss you terribly. When I told my college chum Qui that we were leaving NY, we both agreed that even though we don't see each other that often, it's nice to know we live in the same city. There's something comforting in the knowledge that, even in the city of great anonymity, you can still run into someone you know just about anywhere. I have loved our coffee dates, our explorations and exploits, our touristy activities, our long talks. I look forward to my first visit back to see what wonderful things you've all been up to and to have you show me all the fun new things the city has to offer.

This huge wave of nostalgia hit me on Sunday as we drove back in from DC. I saw the skyline and realized that would be the last time I entered NYC as a resident. Don't get me wrong--I'm thrilled about our move. Marcus and I have known forever that we wanted to get back to the south some day. Ever since we found out we had a bambino on the way, the clock has been ticking. This job came up at the perfect time and we are so excited about building a life in Alabama. But we've been so focused on getting out that we haven't really taken much time to remember the great things about living in NYC. Italian delis and bakeries, bagels, hot dog vendors (oh, how I love thee!), not being able to spit without hitting a Starbuck's, every kind of food you could ever wish for, Broadway at your doorstep, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Union Square on Sunday mornings, the damp smell of the subway, and the little jolt your heart feels every time you look over at that Manhattan skyline. These are just a few of the amazing things I am so happy to have in my memory bank now. Not to mention, since I've been here, I have:
*Worked on 2 Broadway shows (still unbelievable)
*Gotten engaged AND married
*Figured out the subway system (no small feat)
*Ridden said subway system while hugely pregnant
*Had a baby (the best part of it all!)
Plus a million little things that will now be a part of the tapestry of me forever. (Did I just say "the tapestry of me?" Jeez...)

I have no idea how to end this post except to say I have taken my bite out of the big apple and I'm proud to have been a part of the city that never sleeps. But it's time to be a resident southerner again.

Let's hope Jessie Spano doesn't show up in CHICAGO

I just read on playbill.com that Mario Lopez, aka A.C. Slater from Saved By The Bell, is about to make his Broadway debut in A CHORUS LINE. Now, I realize the man can dance. I mean, who can forget him ripping off his clothes in "The Max" to win Jessie's heart with some sassy pique turns? But this is part of an ongoing trend on Broadway where, let's call them "unconventional" actors end up in shows. CABARET a few years ago was the perfect example. Everyone from Brooke Shields to Molly Ringwald to Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie!) was in it. Seriously. Marcus and I are about the only people in NYC who did not grace the stage as Sally Bowles and the Emcee. A stage manager friend of mine worked on that show and said they had a piece of paper in their office where people would write down who should play the roles next. Most of them were jokes, but a couple of times, folks from that piece of paper ended up in the show. I certainly understand the need for a "big" name on the marquis. That certainly sells tickets and often brings in a more diverse audience than you might get with theatre-only actors whose names are not as recognizable. I'm not saying these folks are not talented, I'm just saying that if my years of working in the NYC theatre scene and the Broadway community have taught me anything it's that there's an unbelievable amount of untapped talent in this city. I'd like to see an unknown actor (or even a lesser-known theatre actor) get a role over a "big name" any day. This, friends, is why Jen usually works for not-for-profit companies and is also why she will never, ever be a theatre producer in NYC. (Well, that and she's broke.)

So what's your nightmare casting for Broadway? Mickey Rooney as Annie? The guy who played Squiggie as the Phantom? Don't just limit yourselves to Saved By The Bell characters! :)