My 9th post. Or "The One where she rants and tells you her vision statement."

 O. M G. Well HEY!

Lookie there it’s July 21^st and we haven’t chatted in like, EVZ!

Geez, it’s been a busy summer. It’s been a fantastic summer!

In fact, I don’t think I can adequately absorb/digest/weigh this summer until it’s over. So I won’t try to. But, I’m pretty sure it’s the best yet/ever.

I’m trying to not be too tired. And I’m also trying to do everything I want to do.

After I left New York in January I knew upon my return I wanted to make use of all the opportunity for growth/improvement/skill-strengthening that New York provides in a way that other cities just don’t. So I enrolled in dance classes, voice lessons, and even a stand-up comedy class.

Now if you’re confused and you’re all “But Hil, like, aren’t you in grad school studying communication? What the what? I don’t get it. Just decide already! I’m bored of you not fitting in a specific category. Auguagh!”

First, slow your roll. Second, here’s my explanation. My BHAG if you will: (Oh snap. Yep, she did!)

I’m not satisfied with the explanation that to be an actor you have to love acting and nothing else. I’m not satisfied with my only option other than performing being waiting tables. I like other things and I will go criZAZY knowing that for the rest of my life I’m performing a fraction of the time and doing something where I don’t have to use my noggin and sick vocab skills (alright I could benefit from a Word-A-Day. I said it.) Do you get what I’m saying? It just doesn’t seem to be that out of the question to get a master’s degree in communication, build my expertise on topics like social media and cognitive dissonance theory, and still pursue performing and artistic-like things too. So for right now I’m in the “off season” of my performing career. I can’t audition hardcore because I’m committing the next 9 months to grad school. Even though the idea of booking something random does indeed sound more fun when I look at life big picture-style I know I want this master’s degree and this is the best time to get it. So when I’m finished with it I will be more knowledgeable academically and practically in the communication field and I will have also been working diligently to be ready to audition professionally again. When I come back to the pro acting scene next year I want to get an agent and start auditioning for both legit and commercial work. There is a great big world out there and the possibilities are endless. By gauging where I was mentally and experientially circa four years ago I can predict that I’m going to run across some really unimaginable opportunities in the next few years.

In other words: I’m being mentored by a female professional comic who was a finalist on Last Comic Standing and we’re kind of related and I didn’t even know her when I watched her on Last Comic Standing when I was 18.

The world is one beautiful possibility.

So anyway, now that I’ve written all that I’m recognizing that my vision may be better shared across a table in a coffeeshop with a warm vanilla latte in hand but hopefully you’re catching on.

In addition to my slow and steady approach to performing that I’ve been doing lately, I’ve also gotten to do some freelance writing. That is always good. I would really love to do that in a that’s-how-i-pay-the-rent kind of way. One day I hope I do. Right now it's more like, the utility bill than the whole rent but hey, at least it's paying for my showers! And too, right now I’m doing more than I did last year so I think that’s a step in the right direction. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I may or may not be the guy who writes telemarketing scripts and I LOVE IT. It’s the ultimate persuasive conversation! I’m into it.

What else can I tell you…

Today the heat index rose to 105 in New York and I’m officially o.ver. i.t.

If I have to be side-swiped by one more sweaty stranger I may karate chop someone. I’m sick of it! I’m so sick of being so close to people who I don’t know! I have a strong sniffer and these people don’t smell that good! I just don’t like it and I’m ready to go back to having a car and personal space. Please and thanks.

It makes me wonder: would I go bonkers living here for more than 6 months straight? I’ve yet to do that. Could I survive? Would I just be cranky and pushy all the time? These days I’m going for “sweet.” (Full disclosure: Since my boyfriend is the ultimate sweet I’m really realizing I’m more sweet ‘n low than sweet so I’m trying to become more sugar/spice/everything nice) And I just don’t know if “sweet” and “Hil in the city” can coexist and live in harmony! Ah, musings.

Come ON! Gorge.

In other news my fashion taste is officially evolving into something less bare feet/flowers in the hair and more Kate Middleton classic princess. I just can’t help it! I think my style honestly fluctuates between flower child and classy dame and right now I’m totally on classy dame! Give me a true waist and a classic periwinkle to the knee and I’m yours.

This blog post has been all over the place but I think this is me apologizing but saying “NO APOLOGIES.”

Come see me perform at Gotham Comedy Club on August 1^st at 9:30pm? I’m SO EXCITED and SO PETRIFIED!

Feelin It! Ep. 1

1. hellogiggles.com One of its founders is my career/fashion inspiration:

This is Zooey D. (duh.)

And it's just so fun, funny and cute!! Check it out. It's one-stop shopping for hours of procrastination.

2. Hitting two birds with one stone. For me that is dance class! Exercise, endorphins, and getting better at a marketable skill (for an actress) feels so great! I am so not wasting my time! I'm utilizing it! Huzzah!

3. Stand-up comedy class! I'm taking a stand-up class with my incredibly talented cousin Cory Kahaney. And while I've never written jokes before I'm suddenly incredibly inspired by every absurdity I encounter on a daily basis. Pigeons! Nutella! Gay ex-boyfriends! Therapist mothers! Minister fathers! Jewish Grandmas! LAWYER SISTERS! COME ON!!! I'm love love loving looking at the world with this perspective. So much of life that incites some sort of reaction in us is really funny if you're looking for it. Whoot!

4. Being in a couple! Who knew weddings were FUN? I mean, I love a party and I love to dress up. But I didn't know how fun it was to have someone specifically to slow dance with or take pictures with. JC and I have 2 more weddings in the coming weeks and I'm all for it. Bring it on! I already love the cake--now I love the rest of the festivities too. 

5. Drive. I've been reading some inspiring texts lately by Dale Carnegie, K. Callan, etc. Here's a grrreat quote from Will Smith. Wait, you know you're lucky you're about to read this, right? Ok, I'll share as long as you're grateful. 

(Ok, backstory: Will Smith's dad built his own refrigeration business. One summer he remodeled his ice house, tore down its old brick wall, and told Will and his brother to build a new one.)

"I couldn't believe it. He wanted us to build a wall 50 feet long and 14 feet high. I remember standing there and thinking, 'There's no way I will live to see this completed. He wants us to build the Great Wall of Philly!'

I remember hoping my father would get committed, because if he were in an insane asylum, then we wouldn't have to finish the thing. But finally we did. And I remember my father standing there looking at us, and all he said was, 'Now don't ever tell me there's anything you can't do.' 

He'd been waiting six months just to deliver that line. And I got it: there's nothing insurmountable if you just keep laying the bricks, you know? You go one brick at a time and eventually there will be a wall. You can't avoid it. So I don't worry much about walls. I just concentrate on the bricks, and the walls take care of themselves."

Summer Update

Well, as you can see, a month has come and gone since my last blog. And what a month it has been!! How can I even update you on all that has gone on?? Bullet points. Totally.

• Traveled back to Lynchburg to move my belongings from my parents’ house (it sold!) to my new Lynchburg home on Sandusky Drive
• Saw the following Broadway shows: Sister Act, Jerusalem, Jersey Boys, House of Blue Leaves, Rain (again), Anything Goes
• Got to accompany a handsome fella to the Bowery Mission Benefit (“A Night on Broadway”) at the Greenwich Country Club in CT. I heard exquisite vocals from six Broadway vets. It was an enchanting night.
• Landed an amazing gig at my dream employer: PLAYBILL! Amazingly I had many interviews this past spring for summer internships in the city. For one reason or another (timing, $, etc) none of them panned out. Though disappointed I still held out hope that the job I really wanted (Playbill) might post a job listing. Two weeks after I returned to NYC they DID. And I GOT IT. I’m so, so grateful. And unlike the indentured servitude of most NYC interns, I actually found a temporary job that pays! And I have a title too! “Database Manager” YEAH!
• Bought a package of 20 dance classes that are good for 3 months at a very well-respected dance studio here in town. I know as a performer I need to improve in this area. I also need exercise. I also need fun. Done! The tricky part has been scheduling these classes. But since I’ve already paid for them you better believe I’m gonna get my hiny to the studio!
• I’ve also begun private voice lessons with an excellent teacher--Natalie Wilson. It has been a joy to be back in the practice of studying singing.
• We took a trip to ORLANDO! I was a bridesmaid in my dear friend Heather’s wedding in Winter Park. It was such a joy to see her so happy and to introduce Juan Carlos to some of my nearest and dearest as well as to my old stomping ground. I encountered some super deep thoughts returning to the place I lived 4 years ago. What a different girl I was then...
• Orlando part 2: got to celebrate Leslie’s birthday on New Smyrna Beach, meet 8-month-old Connor Petersen, and visit Universal Orlando and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! JC even got to meet Spider-man. It was a pretty big deal. ;-)

JC and Spidey

Me & Mr. Conductor--heading to Hogwarts!

Kristin, Leslie, Me, & Heather

Since returning from Orlando I’ve got 2 and a half weeks to work a lot before we head back to Lynchburg for a wedding that JC is in! So as you can see, blogging has moved on down the list of priorities but LIVING is still pretty high up there! This summer is going by so fast. I’m just trying to savor each moment. I hope you’re doing the same. :)

Life Lessons from an Afternoon in Times Square

So a couple of weeks ago I moved back to New York for the summer. During this transition time I've been working a few random 1 or 2 day jobs. This week I signed up to work an event in Times Square that promoted making healthy choices. I found out it was going to involve minor celebrities, fun music, giveaways and games. Sign me up Scotty! Even though I didn't necessarily feel that I knew all the details about my assignment ahead of time, I gathered a few key concepts:

1. It was easy.
2. It was fun.

By Carlton via disneyetc.blogspot.com

Word. So when I showed up yesterday I was looking forward to it! But when I got there my mood began to gradually shift. Other people I was working with began barking orders and at the same time appeared confused and stressed. Who was running this thing? Why did they make seemingly simple tasks convoluted and complicated? Had they ever delegated and managed other people before? I got frustrated. I knew they were over-complicating our task and wigging out for no reason. (One minute games involving balloons and kleenex are not that deep people.) I started to feel grouchy and thought, "Well, at least I'm getting paid well for this." I knew I wasn't crazy when another girl I was working with noticed the wonky vibe too.  She said to me, "Why are they so tense?" And it hit me.

Though moods and attitudes are certainly contagious-they don't have to be!

Whoa!

I snapped out of my critical 'tude and decided to have fun with or without my co-workers support. This job was short, easy, and could be fun if I let it. So, I tuned out the angry elves and I let it. :-)

"Young singers ask me, 'Do I have to live in New York?' I say, 'You can live wherever you want as long as people think you live in New York.'" -Benita Valente

I'm back in New York (for real for real)!

After completing my first semester of grad school (YEAH!), I am loving being back in the city. It has been a jam-packed week filled with quality time with Juan Carlos, dance classes (hip-hop and tap), a voice lesson, temping at a posh public relations firm (I put together gift baskets of chocolate-covered grapes to be delivered at places like Allure, the Rachel Ray show, and Teen Vogue), babysitting in Brooklyn, surprising Sara (JC's sis) with tickets to RAIN (the Beatles Broadway show), 4 interviews, landing three promo gigs (one of which I'll be wearing a wedding gown in Times Square--stay tuned on that one), catching up with friends, seeing Ben Sollee play at Rockwood Music Hall, and celebrating our 3-month anniversary at this delicious french restaurant called Affaire. I ate frog legs (and they looked froggy to me)--BELIEVE IT!

It's been a great week!

Also, I'm excited to learn that two pieces I've written for local publications in Lynchburg, VA have been published. "A Legacy of Love" is without a doubt the most fulfilling piece I've written thus far in life. You can find it at LynchburgLiving.com but it doesn't have a unique URL so I'll also post the body here.

A Legacy of Love

By Hilary Sutton

Lauren McCauley Barnes and Lynchburg's Academy of Fine Arts are old friends. Anyone who has darkened the doors of the Academy over the last 20 years has most likely seen her perform at one time or another. Barnes' first taste of the stage came when she was six years old-a full four years after her mother had enrolled her in dance classes at the age of two. In 1992, Lauren was cast in a production of "ANNIE" as Molly, the youngest, cutest pipsqueak of the orphans. Fast forward 19 years and now a mother herself, Lauren Barnes has certainly grown up. Having blossomed into a statuesque, elegant, Rockette-like performer, Barnes is playing the sultry siren Velma Kelly in the May production of Kander & Ebb's "CHICAGO" at that very same Academy of Fine Arts.

Barnes may have fallen in love with the stage while belting out "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile," but the performing arts were in her blood long before she ever donned the rags and messy ponytail. Her mother, Laurie Bartram McCauley, was an accomplished dancer and actress. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Bartram spent many of her formative years dancing on the stage at the famed St. Louis MUNY, one of the most-respected regional theatres in the country.

After graduating from high school, she moved to Los Angeles, joined the famed June Taylor Dancers and ran in circles with the young Hollywood elite. Landing the role of Brenda in the now cult-classic movie "Friday the 13^th," which filmed in New York, she relocated to the Big Apple in 1978. While in New York, she was also cast in the soap opera, "Another World." The young beauty was beginning to hit it big and from a bird's eye view, Bartram seemed to have it all. But as quickly as she acquired commercial success, she removed herself from it. Prior to the release of "Friday the 13^th," Bartram became a born-again Christian and began attending Manhattan Bible Church. There, through the ministry of students who were on a mission trip, she became acquainted with Lynchburg Baptist College, now Liberty University. Ready for a detour from the industry that began to hold little meaning to her, she packed her bags for Lynchburg, Virginia.

In 1984, Bartram married her college sweetheart, Greg McCauley, and the two built a life together in Lynchburg. In September 1985, Lauren was born and the family grew to seven, with the subsequent additions of Scott, Jordan, Francis and finally, Isabelle. Laurie McCauley invested 15 years homeschooling her children and became very involved in the local arts scene. Directing, choreographing and sewing costumes for theatre productions, she also did local commercials and voice-over work. By no means as glamorous or lucrative as Los Angeles or New York, McCauley never wavered in her passion for the performing arts.

"The arts to her weren't just a hobby or a profession. It was a way of life," Lauren explained of her mother's passion for the arts. "My mother approached life from an artistic worldview. She got so much joy from art, whether it was going to an art museum or listening to a concert or watching a ballet."

In a turn of events that grieved a community and family who adored her, Laurie McCauley was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and lost her battle in May 2007 at the age of 49. To her children and those who encountered her, she left behind a host of memories and principles. Now, four years after her mother's death, Barnes is a first-time mother to 7-month-old Beatrice, and has a deeper perspective on the woman who raised her.

"I am understanding, in a way so many said I would, how dear to her I must have been, how precious. This beautiful baby girl is so loved, so cherished," Barnes said.

Remarking on the unusual gift of mirror pregnancies, Barnes said, "Our pregnancies were the exact same. Beatrice's due date was my birthday and she was born the day before me. It's been fun to know that I'm learning things that [my mother] was learning and discovering things that she was discovering."

Beatrice, whose name means "bringer of joy," truly has brought unprecedented joy to a family who endured tragedy. Even in temperament, she lives up to her name. At the mere hint of a smile thrown her way, Beatrice lights up. Gleaming blue eyes and dimples at the edge of her smile make grown-ups want to endlessly dote on this sweet baby. With legs already noticeably long for a 7-month-old child, Barnes holds Beatrice and asks "Are you gonna be a dancer?" Beatrice coos back in charming baby form.

Now returning to the stage for the first time since Beatrice's birth, Barnes anticipates teaching her own daughter about the joys of performing but remembers her mother's perspective on the arts. She taught her daughter to "use the arts not as a platform for your own glory but as a way of life," Lauren recanted. "Let it be something you do because you love it, as something that brings you joy. Let it arise as an outpouring of your heart. Don't let it be from a job."

"Auditions were our thing," Barnes recalled. "When I was little she went with me to every one. When I was older, we were on the phone right before and right after. When she started choreographing shows in town, it was so fun to watch her in her element. She choreographed 'OLIVER' and 'CAMELOT' at the Academy. It was beautiful to watch."

When asked what she has learned about being a performer from her mother, Barnes's answer is the opposite of what most would expect to hear about a mother so accomplished in the arts.

"Humility as a performer was one of the biggest things she taught me. It is usually so absent in performers. Pride comes before a fall. She'd been places. She'd done things. She was never too proud. No one ever knew [of her past success] unless they had somehow gotten the back story. She handled everyone with graciousness," Barnes said. "We get so caught up in the accolades and the glory of the spotlight but it's about what you can express through your art. As a painter or songwriter, it's about creating something. Theatre can tell such amazing stories. As artists, we should be impacting the world. It shouldn't be all about us."

Barnes believes that even the art that, at first glance, seems like its only purpose is for fun entertainment should be honored and thoughtfully portrayed.

"Even 'CHICAGO' [has merit]! It ends in 'Can you believe the ridiculousness of the corruption of the 1920's?' We're just as foolish as the people back then. 'CHICAGO' tells a very tragic story. My mother gave me the ability to look at art and dissect it," Barnes explained.

As for little Beatrice, Barnes hopes that she too will come to love the performing arts like she does, and her mother before her.

"I pray that Beatrice shares our love of the arts but I want to be supportive of her in whatever she pursues," she said.

Beatrice may be too young to appreciate her mother's turn in "CHICAGO" this May but she will certainly grow to learn of the passion for art and life that has been passed down in her heritage. Though years have passed in her absence, Laurie Bartram McCauley has left a profound legacy in Lynchburg and beyond.

"It's almost like the rest of her story is being told now through the lives of her children and grandchild," Barnes said.

Throughout the duration of "CHICAGO," Barnes will undoubtedly be thinking of her new daughter as well as her mother.

"The theatre is where I feel closest to her. It's the biggest thing that we shared," she said.

Perhaps in only a few short years, Beatrice will be donning similar rags and a messy ponytail to belt out "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile." And the legacy will continue. Lynchburg theatre patrons will simply have to keep darkening the Academy's doors to find out.

"CHICAGO" is playing at The Academy of Fine Arts in Lynchburg, May 6-8 and 11-15. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 434.846.TIXX or on the web at www.academyfinearts.com.

What I'm Loving...

1. Music that reminds me of Home:

My Little Girl in Tennessee from Chris Thile & Michael Daves on Vimeo.

2.  Exotic Prints! AKA the Inspiration for my Summer Uniform

by Andrew Yee

This summer I'm gonna be rocking lots of safari-inspired bright colors and prints. The great thing is I got most of my new summer stuff at Forever 21. With dresses priced as low as $13.50 you can totally buy into the trends and go for it. Here's a couple of things I got: 

Bethenny Ever After

3. I like the occasional reality show but I'm no reality-obsessed-I'll-watch-any-Kardashian-you-throw-at-me type. But I am seriously loving "Bethenny Ever After"--a show that chronicles the work/family/skatingwiththestars balance of a hilarious New Yorker named Bethenny Frankel. Frankel is actually pretty fascinating-even on paper-she is a chef who started her own "Skinny Girl" brand, was a contestant on the Apprentice, was a cast member on "Housewives of New York" (even though she wasn't married) and now has her own show. As you can see from the photo, she and her husband don't take themselves too seriously. Check this show out on Monday nights on Bravo.

Country Club Plaza

4. Kansas City! I visited my parents in their new city and I loved it. Who knew that a city in the dead center of the country could have so much to offer? Delicious food--BBQ is KC's speciality--at Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque, tons of great shopping at Zona Rosa and the Country Club Plaza, as well as lots of museums, professional sports, and theatre (though we didn't get there in my 72-hour trip). I really can't wait to get back to this fun city.


So what are YOU loving?

4 Shows I Want to See on Broadway this summer (and how you can get cheap tickets to all of them!)

 I am without a doubt beyoooond stoked to be returning to the Big Apple for the summer months. I landed an amazing sublet with some southern musical theatre actress girls. (Seriously? What are the odds?) And I've got some work stuff cooking that is really exciting to me. Plus now my favorite dude lives there and is always up for an adventure and that just gives me so much to look forward to!!

One thing I love about having lived in New York here and there is that I've become a source for show advice for some people who don't get to travel to the concrete jungle  too often. I also got to recommend shows to people when I worked at TKTS! So, today I thought I'd share the 4 shows I'm most looking forward to seeing when I get back to New York. Make no mistake, I'll be seeing more than only these four--but these will take priority. And I'll tell you why!

1.  The revival of Cole Porter's ANYTHING GOES
I love a good classic and Sutton Foster has never disappointed me on stage. I saw her in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and SHREK: THE MUSICAL and she has incredible subtle comedic timing, chops that ring like a bell, and effortless tap dancing. In addition, I would love to have seen Patti LuPone play the iconic Reno Sweeney in 1988 but alas I was 3. I recognize that Sutton Foster is a legend in her prime and I think any artist, patron, American owes it to himself/herself to see her perform! She really is gracious to keep doing it and not abandon us for a film career. PLUS, the title number has some of the most genius lyrics in all of musical theatre. See here!


2. HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING 
Like any of you I had my doubts about Harry Potter playing a role that required triple threat prowess but the reviews are in and Radcliffe has delighted audiences. I also can't help but love the fact that he is a 21-year-old superstar kazillionaire who isn't too good for Broadway. Radcliffe did some mad work learning how to dance and sing--a year of consistent training. I respect that he didn't just slide by on his name (or face I guess) but that he did the work. He knew audiences would come whether he was bad or good but he wanted to be good. So he worked. That's an applicable lesson, yall.

3. JERUSALEM
More than any other show, maybe ever, I have heard RAVE reviews of Mark Rylance's performance in Jerusalem--from patrons who really go see theatre and know good acting. Word on the street is that Rylance's performance is transcendent and simply remarkable. He played the lead in its previous production on the West End and it's now transferred to Broadway. In addition I wanted to see Rylance in last fall's La Bete but didn't get the opportunity before it closed. I've heard that Rylance is "the actor of our time" and I've just gotta see that.








4. WAR HORSE
Once I was in a show in which 75% of my job was operating a remote controlled mouth for a guy wearing a bear suit. Ever since then (and before) puppets (and remote controlled bear mouths) were not my thing--until I saw this. These two guys from South Africa have made puppets that really, REALLY feel like actual living, breathing animals. Again, a transfer from the West End in London, this show has received tons of buzz and fascinates me from the outset. It is about a boy and his beloved horse who is sent off to the Great War in the early 20th century. Between the incredible puppetry, the rave reviews, and the story with heart I'm sold. I want to see this show.

In closing, I would like to point out that 2 of the 4 shows I want to see are plays. Look ma, I'm branching! I also want to point you towards some discount ticketing options for these Broadway productions. When I'm evangelizing to non-theatre-types about Broadway their first response 9 times out of 10 is that it is too expensive. Well, you guys just don't know where to look! Check it out:

ANYTHING GOES
General Rush: $30 - limited number of tickets available when the box office opens. Subject to availability. Limit 2 per person.
Student Rush: Limited number of half-price seats sold beginning three hours before curtain. Subject to availability. Limit 1 per valid ID.
Hiptix: $21.50 - Roundabout's Hiptix program allows registered patrons between ages 18 and 35 to purchase 1 pair of tickets per production at this price. Info at: http://hiptix.com/

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING
General Rush: $30 - tickets available on day of performance when box office opens. Limit 2 per customer.


JERUSALEM
General Rush: $26.50 - available on a first come, first served basis for day of performance when the box office opens. There is a limit of two tickets per customer.

WAR HORSE
Student Rush: $30 - Lincoln Center Theater offers $30 student rush tickets beginning two hours before a performance at the box office (subject to availability). Student rush tickets are limited to one ticket per performance and you must show a valid college/university ID to purchase a ticket. Not all performances have student rush tickets.

Even if you are not able to get to Broadway this summer, many touring productions have discounts and rush tickets as well. And when in doubt, support your local theatre!

It's a new dawn! it's a new day! it's a new blog!

*This post has nothing to do w/ LG. I just found "Pt. 2" apropos.

 So, I turned 26 last week.

That puts me closer to 30 than 20.

I think it’s time for a change of pace with this blog.

I got a new address because, well, I guess I just want to make it a little bit more difficult for people to find the things I was musing about, say, 6 years ago. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?

I’ve been thinking a lot about what the point of this should be. I still like the name. I still certainly like to write, and I still like to connect with my homies out there.

The point of this blog used to be “write about the deep thoughts you’re thinking and update the people on what’s going on.” But lately (with the advent of falling in love and all o dat) those things have become really delicate. And I’m not sure I want to lay these things out in this kind of forum...at least not yet.

So I thought about doing away with the whole “blog” idea and just doing Twitter. But then I thought “NO!” I love having this outlet because sometimes my thoughts are more detailed than 140 characters. #truth

I’m going to attempt to blog more regularly—maybe less frequently than I have in the past but more regularly. I’m thinking I’ll give the “update” type of reports every month or so and keep most of my writing topical. Anyway, WHO CARES about my game plan? Let’s talk about moving past—a couple of years past—the “early 20’s.”

**********

Nobody ever told me how weird the 20’s would be. Back where I come from (hey yall!) you graduate high school, you go to college, you get married, and you have some kids. For those of us who took a different path, there was no model. All of my life I was a “student” and then one day I woke up and I was a ______. (The case of the missing identity!) It’s been a process of putting one foot in  front of the other and figuring it out. When I finished college at 22 I embarked on this journey that I really couldn’t have planned or foreseen. I’ve been blessed to live in a few different places, work creatively, and meet people who have changed the way I saw the world. I discount none of that.

I spent my 26^th year performing at a dinner theatre, traveling to Europe, making final memories with my Grandfather, working in a Broadway producer’s office, and meeting my love.

What a year!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 26 years (I know, I know, in the grand scheme of things I’m practically a fetus) it is this:

Live. BOLDLY.

Whether or not we grasp it, we only get one shot at life. 6 of my 10 years in my 20’s are DONE. What will I do with the next 4?

Life is both too short and too long to live in fear. We must take chances. We must find out what makes our heart skip a beat. And we must, LIVE.

One great thing about words is that they outlast us. So let’s be purposeful about this:

I want to live a life that reminds people that God loves us. I want to take nothing for granted and be fully present. I want to be an active participant during my time on earth and not someone on a couch watching someone else’s reality show.

Life has got to be lived, that’s all there is to it. –Eleanor Roosevelt

Many thanks for making the trek to the new blog,

Hilary