It's Getting Scary...

Aaaaaaah Fuck. We're in for a fight...

 So, I'm super worried. I'm getting nervous and scared and pretty damn concerned about the world starting to look more and more like Europe in the 1930's. Guys, this Brexit thing is fucked. Not only is the UK (soon to just be England, as Scotland votes again for independence and Ireland talks about reuniting(!)), and the EU and pretty much the world FUCKED over it. But I am honest-to-god scared out of my mind that Trump might win in November.

What all of England is thinking right now.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

I cannot today.

Please stop with the jingoism and xenophobia. Please stop with the fear-mongering and the refusal to acknowledge the difference between facts and talking points. Please stop with the racism, homophobia, anti-immigration bullshit spouted from idiots who want to "go back" to a time when being a white cisgendered MAN was the pinnacle of perfection.

The rest of us actually like the forward-thinking progress that has been made in the last 60 years. We want to move towards a better future, not sink into an imaginary past. Please just stop.

Vote against Trump. Vote against all politicians in the NRA's (and other special interest's) pockets this November. Get them out. Keep them out. Move onward and upward. PLEASE.

I know you like Bernie, but he's not going to be the Democratic nominee for President. I don't love Hillary either. But I also didn't love Bernie. You  know what? I'm gonna get over the fact that "my candidate" lost (because Elizabeth Warren hasn't even run for President yet), and I'm going to vote for the Democratic nominee. Because Trump is (and I'm quoting the British response to his insane Brexit tweet) a "touped fucktrumpet".

Pretty much just Trump in 2017, a year after he wins.

Nope. Get out. Stop right now. Actually think about what you're going to do if he wins. You think the world's response to Brexit is bad? Imagine the worldwide economic, and political ramifications if Trump wins. Think for a second about that. And then vote against it. Because I really don't want Immortan Joe as President.

Day By Day

Who's got 2 thumbs and is headed to Seattle in 6 days? THIS GIRL!

So... I head to Seattle in 6 days, which means that I have a day and a half of work, a Salon shoot, an entire Kids TT (over 3 days), and two days to pack and enjoy NY before I head to the airport bright and early (another 7am flight outta JFK...) on Wed 6/29.

This also means that I have MAJOR senioritis at work right now. I've consistently been here 4-5 days a week going on 5 weeks now, so yeah. Not only am I ready for a little break, I am ready for some time off to get things done during the week. I know they're having issues hiring a full-time office manager, but come ON. The chick left at the beginning of April. I was supposed to be a stop-gap. Not that I'm complaining about a consistent paycheck, but I do feel like I'm tied to this job. I'd like to have some more flexibility with my weekday scheduling. Go to some more auditions, just have time to prepare for the upcoming events in my life. I mean, I very easily could have been available to work next Monday and Tuesday, but I need to do laundry and pack and breathe and recover from 5 weeks of working M-F, and filling up my weekends with summer (and kids tt), as I tend to do.

Breathe, laundry, pack, recover, and then fly back to Seattle.

Where I have to juggle literally ALL OF MY FAMILY, trying to see my friends, Nana's memorial, Pam's 60th, the 4th of July, trying to get out in the sun. trying to enjoy my vacation, and not spending too much $$ (since I won't be working those 10 days)...

I am excited to head back. But slightly overwhelmed at all the things I need to shoehorn into what I thought was going to be a more relaxing vacation. Especially the first week I'm there...

Well, I do have 3 weekdays with no plans right now, so I think those will be the ones for me to get some beach/friend/chill out time, since the rest of the time I am juggling family obligations.

Ultimately, though, I am there for la mama: to celebrate Nana, enjoy 3-girls time, bond (more) with Luna Lovegood, and get that good quality mother-daughter time together that we were planning when we first started talking about her coming out here over the weekend of the Fourth.

And I am very grateful that they somehow managed to get everyone out there for Nana's Memorial at the time when I was already planning on being on the west coast! I would have been heartbroken to miss memorializing her life and am glad that it is working out with so many different families to all get together over the holiday weekend to tell stories and share memories of Nana and her importance in our lives.

Six more days, guys. Six more, and then I'm on a plane back to my beloved PNW.

And 1.5 left of this 9-6 life...

What a Wonderful World

These sunsets, you guys...

I know it probably seems repetitive and over-the-top to keep professing my love for the sun and keep posting sunset pics from my walks to class on Monday and Tuesday nights, but dear GOD, I just cannot get over how stunning some of these sunsets have been! And walking the whole way to class means that I have even more opportunities to take glorious pictures.

I've titled this one" Light and Shadow"

I love these various shades of blue.

Last night the sky was incredible. The sun was behind these clouds of varying density, so it was shining out and lighting up the sky in the varying shades of blues, punctuating it with these beams of light. It was just surreal.

I feel like a choir of angels should have been singing to me...

Then, since I left my apartment about 10 minutes earlier last night than I did on Monday, I got to see the sun bounce off the gold facade on the front of the main branch of Brooklyn Public Library right as I turned onto Union past the Grand Army Plaza.

The BPL!

You can BET I will be making this walk to work for the next few months. As long as the weather stays nice. It's just barely 2 miles and takes a little over 40 minutes. Plus, bonus of no subway wait, no over-ac in the train, no oppressive heat in the station. And since I know exactly how long the walk is going to take me, there's no risk of arriving late to class.

Tree trunk blocks the sun

I just love it so much! Plus, teaching another Sun Salutation-heavy class to three more lovely yoginis. And I made them sweat yesterday. I turned on the fans about halfway through our first Vinyasa... muahaha! (I like to evil laugh after I make them work hard. Out of love. Always out of love.)

Almost to work!

Tomorrow we're finally filming the reading of the #nakedtempest comment sections for Salon and I cannot wait! I'm heading there straight after work! Crazy! I cannot believe that this is actually happening. Hopefully we have good weather (right now it's supposed to be a high of 73 with the chance of rain) since we're shooting it on Summit Rock (where we performed), but other than that, I only see good things! More press! An excuse to see my Tempesters! Hopefully an update on Minneapolis!

Yay good things happening!

And I hope you don't get sick of all the sunset pics. I just have a feeling they're gonna keep coming!

World Yoga Day

That's today!

I also just found out that today is International Yoga Day! Celebrate! I love that I get to teach tonight! Can't wait to tell all my students! w00t!

Solstice with the Mostest

The first sunset picture from Crown Heights.

So, for once, I pretty much did exactly what I said I was gonna do after work. Yesterday, I got home, worked out, and then left a little bit early so that I could walk to my gym instead of take the train, enjoying the longest day of the year out in beautiful summer weather. And OMG, it was so worth it! Besides feeling super warmed up by the time I got to class (a 40 minute walk will do that for you), I also got to experience one of the most beautiful sunsets in my walk from Crown Heights through Prospect Heights to Park Slope. I honestly felt like I won the jackpot!

Right past Grand Army Plaza as I turn from Prospect Park/Prospect Heights into Park Slope

West Wing Weekly playing on my phone, 75 degree humid weather at 730pm, and a 2-mile walk. It was pretty darn near perfect! Plus, mentally planning how best to Salute the Sun with a Sun Salutation-based class that was both tough, and, I think, fun! Three lovely ladies attended and seemed to enjoy it, so there will be something similar tonight.

Park Slope nearing work

I was trying to figure it out, though, because I was confused, I thought that Solstice was on June 21st NOT the 20th, and then, it hit me! This is a LEAP YEAR! Of COURSE the Solstice is a day early on Leap Year! It also means Winter Equinox will be on December 20th instead of the 21st this year. It throws everything off by a day. So strange to think about and to realize that I've never thought about it before...

Look at that SUN! What is it they say about red skies at night?

I also feel infinitely better today than I did yesterday. I struggle bussed HARD yesterday (even my 21DFX workout was off), but it felt like the second I left the apartment to walk to yoga, everything zoomed into focus, and both the teaching and demo-ing felt really on point.

I love this same look with the brownstones in the picture... DYING!

The sun, you guys, the summer and the sun. Thank you, weather. I always forget what a sun baby I am until I am literally buoyed into a better mood by sun and warmth! Warm weather can cure everything in me from lethargy to a hangover to a cold to just FEELING cold. It's just happy-making! Thank you, sun!

About to cross the street to work. I can't. It was perfection!

Mischief Managed

Last night's HUUUUGE moon! It was full and stupendous and I love it!

Friday night's moon from Rooftop Reds...

Yesterday was glorious! On top of the beautiful (albeit slightly humid) summer weather, and it being the longest day of the year, there was also a full moon. I am obsessed with the moon. I love it so much. You might even say it makes me "moony" (yeah, I went there). And there is really nothing quite like a summer solstice full moon. I've been chronicling it for the past 3 or 4 nights, and last night it was huge and yellow-orange and overwhelming.

Saturday night's moon on the walk TO karaoke.

So, here you have my moon pictures. They will never do it the justice of seeing it in person, but dear god, so beautiful!

Saturday night's moon on the walk to the subway. Cloud cover!

Going Out with a BANG!

Me on the MLS homepage singing the National Anthem!

Sunday started early once again! Another late night into a fairly early wake-up, so that I could get to the 7th Heaven festival and volunteer at the Slope Fitness booth for an hour. I was supposed to wake up early so that I could workout before I volunteered, but Saturday night after karaoke, my phone took me on a long(-ish) walk to a farther away subway station thinking it could get me home with two long(-ish) walks and only one train, but when I got to West 4th, the A train was just sitting in the station, so I ended up taking the D to the 3 anyway, and from one stop farther away... BUT good train karma to the rescue because the 3 was right there when I got to the platform at Atlantic! (thank the gods) It still meant that I didn't get home until 2 or so, but hey! Better than 4!

Kids at the 7th Heaven festival playing violins! Too cute!

Anyway, needless-to-say, I got up at 10, left the house at 1030 and was in Park Slope by 1045. I hungout handing out balloons, talking to people about classes, meeting other instructors until noon, then headed home to get my workout in and shower before jumping on a train to get to Carlow. Usually, my trip to the UES is one train (the 4), and 45 minutes. Yesterday, because it was the weekend and construction, the 4 wasn't running in Brooklyn, so it took me three trains (3 to Q to 4), and 90 minutes to get there... And the 3 was delayed, so my very first train, which, when the 4 isn't running is really my only train option, left me standing on the platform for 20 minutes right off the bat, then a 10-ish minute wait for the Q, then the 4, which was running local. Boy howdy did I have to pee when I got to Carlow!

Pretty much the only good thing to come outta Sunday's trip to NJ: this sunset picture.

But we all met up, eventually, drank cheap booze there, and then piled onto the subway to the PATH station to meet up with security, to get led into the stadium all about an hour before the game started. Which is why we had to wrap up at Carlow at 4 to make sure we'd make it to Jersey by 630. I met my friend Mark, another former Seattleite, now based in Philly, there in Newark (less travel time for him), and we all piled into the stadium...

...the watch the Sounders absolutely implode...

My very blurry, directly into the sun photo of my stalker. 

Dempsey is playing with the USMNT in Copa America right now, and without him, there is almost no one else to get the offense going. Not that others didn't try (especially Ozzie), and we had some very promising opportunities that just didn't pan out. AND the Redbulls first goal was pure luck (the shot bounced off the goal post and landed at the feet of another NYRB player, so Frei was already on the ground... Stupid), but yeah. Wasted opportunities. I just don't think we're gonna salvage this season. Le boo...

Ugh, plus getting home from Jersey late on a Sunday night after your team loses is the worst... I didn't get back until about midnight... So yeah, definitely did NOT get up when my alarm went off this morning.

But! I have plans to do a whole sun salutations class tonight in honor of the summer solstice, and I'm thinking that I am going to walk to the gym from my place tonight. Try to enjoy the longest day of the year as much as I possibly can. Before tomorrow when the days start getting shorter again...

But Welcome Summer! The weather here in NY is certainly acting like it's finally summertime (but without much humidity yet. Not complaining!)...

Saturday Sunshine

Prospect Park at 10am. All mine. By 11am, I had to share...

Despite the late night out, and wine on Friday night, it was fairly easy to wake up on Saturday morning to head to my second-to-last Saturday morning Stretch Therapy sub! I kinda can't believe that I've been doing it the last 3 months! It's not my favorite class to teach (I always feel like I don't really know what I'm doing...I prefer teaching yoga, obvi), but it is definitely a nice excuse to get me up and outta the house early on the weekend. I can be such a lazy bum when I have nowhere to go, and once I'm out, well, might as well go enjoy the park and the sunshine before it gets too hot!

The Grand Army Plaza arch from the steps of the Brooklyn Library

Since I have to rush from class this coming Saturday to get to my second day of kids TT, and since the weather was so gorgeous last Saturday, I packed my swimsuit and towel, grabbed coffee and a bagel, and set myself up in Prospect Park to enjoy the sun for a few hours before heading home to workout and get ready to meet up with Tori (I bought a skirt from her in her closet purge! I'm wearing it today! It's short, but still work appropriate and it has pockets! It's a bit big, but super comfy. And it was only $10!!!). Then I took myself out to dinner and a beer in the LES before heading to Sing Sing for the Karaoke Explosion!

I enjoyed this street art installation in the West Village.

#truth Found on my way to meet Tori. About an hour later, there was beauty in my eye!

Busy, busy, busy! A number of people bowed outta karaoke last minute (auditions, too tired, forgot about another obligation, got called into work...), but I still had 2 more people show up this year than last year! Yay! Five whole friends! At this rate I'll have nearly 10 people coming next year! It was really, really fun. I was there for 3.5 hours and must have sang... I don't even know how many songs! We ended the night belting our faces off to "The Circle of Life"! Amazing! So, thanks go out to Gabi, Suzannah, Layne, Diana, and Andrew for helping me celebrate 31-derful in loud, belting fashion in our own private room!

Second year in a row in the Miley room! 

Rooftop, Wine, Friends...

No, seriously, it was prettier than this. 

Wine + cheese + fig jam + crouton crackers = happiness!

Guys, looooook! So pretty! (and such good rose!)

So... I dunno if maybe we just couldn't figure it out, or if there wasn't a performance Friday night, but we most definitely did NOT see pigeons at Rooftop Reds. But, to be honest, it almost didn't even matter. The weather on Friday was perfect, the rose was dry and not too sweet, the views were to die for, and the company was fantastic. It really was a great way to kick off birthday weekend!

Yay friends! And views! And wine! And summer!

I invited my friend Suzannah who lives near me in Brooklyn and who, it seemed, would really enjoy both wine on a rooftop and a pigeon performance, but she bailed on me because she was too tired. Only, then I got there and saw the view, and bought a bottle of wine, and the atmosphere was so chill, so I texted her a BUNCH of pictures, and totally convinced her to come down.

Suzannah, Erin and I at El Atodero, a restaurant in BK where Erin bartends!

Not sure what these used to be, but check out how nature is reclaiming them!

So she did! And she was so happy that I convinced her to come out and not just sit at home and wallow that after we finished the wine and a little snack, we decided to head to Clinton Hill/Prospect Heights where Erin, another friend of ours, bartends at a little Mexican restaurant to get dinner and hangout with her! It was great. And then I walked home from there.

Sunset behind the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Naval Yard. I CANNOT DEAL!

LOOOOOVE!

I probably spent a little more money than I should have and ate a little too much food and drank a little too much wine (wine slushies at El Atodero! NOOOOOM!), but it's birthday weekend! How ELSE are you supposed to celebrate?! (No, seriously, that's a real question. CAN you do a successful birthday weekend without spending any money? I am thinking no.)

Sun JUST behind the WTC. Love the two watertowers to the right.

Plus, I was home, in bed, preparing to wake up early and teach Saturday morning by midnight or so! Yay!

My walk home contained this perfect picture: the moon over the Brooklyn Museum!

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

The Dowager Countess understands my summertime weekend struggle. 

Ugh. Yeah. I pretty much feel like I just got hit by a truck today. And it's Monday. And I have 4 more days of this. And then all-day TT this weekend... Yeah. This week is gonna be a little rough...

But the weekend was definitely fun. Almost no downtime, but fun for sure. So much fun that when my alarm went off at 5am this morning to get me to head to Times Square for 7am yoga... I immediately turned it off and slept for another 2.5 hours. I wanted to, but looking forward to the rest of my day and week... I knew that I needed the sleep more. It's too bad though. Just poor timing... Like, ANY other Monday it would have been fine, but this week? After the Sounders game and knowing I had Kids TT coming up the next weekend? It just didn't seem like it was gonna make any sense at all to drag my ass to Times Square for early morning free yoga before working all day, and teaching tonight... Next year. I'll do it for sure next year...

You'll get the recap, complete with all the pictures in the next few posts. And then you'll understand why I am majorly riding the struggle bus this morning...

Much Appreciated

I mean, come ON with all this gorgeousness!

I feel like I've spent the last few days just feeling grateful. I mean, I'm me, so there's been plenty of complaining and worrying and stress, too, but generally? I am in such a better place this year than I was last year and I just feel grateful.

Sunset on my walk to teach Tuesday night.

And do you wanna know the number one biggest contributor to me feeling so happy? The sunshine of course! I mean, there's also the yoga, and the temping, and the acting, but I've had those (off and on) since January, but the sun? The sun makes everything better. The bad, tolerable; the tolerable, almost good; the almost good, great; the great, awesome; and the awesome, THE BESTEST EVER IN THE WHOLE WORLD, I AM NOT EXAGGERATING AT ALL, WHAT EVEN IS HYPERBOLE.

Sun setting, little bit of light left on the buildings, moon starting to peek outta the sky...

So, yeah. My blissful walk from the subway station to yoga on Monday and Tuesday nights (one of these days I'll actually walk from my house, it really only takes 40 minutes, but I'm lazy after working all day...), combines all the good things: taking a walk, to do something I love, in the beautiful weather, in my birth month. And sold! Plus, with sunset views like these? Puh-lese!

Me on Monday? Me on Monday!

So, I forgot that Summer Solstice is Monday, and that I signed up to do Solstice in Times Square: Mind Over Madness this year (a free yoga event celebrating Solstice where classes are held and thousands attend and there's all this free swag), but since it's on a Monday, that means that the only class I can attend is the 7am one! And they recommend you get there upwards of an hour beforehand! While that's not gonna happen, I am going to aim to get there a half-hour early, so I have time to pick my mat, and grab all my swag before practice begins... And then head to work. And then head to teach yoga Monday night. Meaning I need to leave my house 540am catching the very first 3 train of the day in order to get there on time! It's gonna be cray. But worth it(? I can only hope)!

So many pigeons!

Plus, Jess told me about this performance piece where this guy trained a crap ton of pigeons to respond to his whistle, and they fly over the Brooklyn Naval Yard at sunset every Fri-Sun in this piece. Tickets are all so old, BUT there's still a way to see it, so OF COURSE I am going to go and plant myself at this rooftop wine bar (appropriately called Rooftop Reds) right next door and enjoy some vino and watch the pigeons tonight after work because what else are you going to do on a Friday night in this city...

Just for fun: enjoy this picture of Allison Janney as Endora from BEWITCHED. BEcause why not????

What a weird and funky weekend I have planned! Performance (and wine)! Teach! Film an audition! Karaoke with friends! Volunteer! Sports ball! I am New York-ing to the fullest this weekend!

Also, I'm a little bummed because I realized that my kids yoga TT for next weekend coincides with NY Pride (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) and I am SO BUMMED to miss out on the parade a second year in a row. I feel like such a bad ally! I still love you LGBTQI+ community! And I'll be there in spirit... le boo.

My Birthday Wish

No, I didn't get "BIG".

So, I found Zoltar while I was wandering around Coney and I started to think about what my birthday wish would be. And you know what? I didn't really have one. I mean, sure, I'd love to land a few lucrative acting gigs, maybe get a manager or an agent, get one or two more teaching gigs (maybe even at different studios), find a way to really manage my budget securely without losing the time to audition. But, honestly, all those things are more GOALS than wishes. They actually seem achievable. And they are my "new year resolutions" for this, my 31st year.

I wanna figure some shit out. Do some awesome theater. Practice and teach some amazing yoga. Spend less than I make. These are good goals.

My wish? Gun control. A year with no "mass shootings" (4 or more people killed at once). A year with no gun deaths in this country at all. Maybe even World Peace? I dunno. I feel like wishes should be huge, sweeping change. Like Trump turning out to be a massive performance art robot built by some kid in the 40's... I'll keep my wishes for things that need them.

All About Me!

When you give me chalk and a chalkboard in the bar bathroom on my birthday...

Yesterday was Awesome. Yes, Awesome with a capital "A". I got exactly what I had wanted from the day including making the smart decision not to buy food while I was out, but instead go grocery shopping on my walk home... Responsibility!

How did it KNOOOOOOW?!

I did not quite make it to 8am yoga yesterday, not because I was hungover, just because I forgot how when you meet people between 1030 and 11pm, it's easy to stay out until 1am, not get home until 130, not head to sleep until 2, and then have your alarm go off to try to get you to a voluntary yoga class at 730am. Yeah, no. I turned that sucker off and slept in until 9! #worthit (still did my own yoga and workout at home, just not quite so early).

My beer: one of their 8 different IPAs. NOM!

It was great to spend time and catch up with both Maridee and Jess. The 3 of us haven't done that in a really long time. And I really miss it! But yes, 3-ish beers and meeting people after work/rehearsal/teaching meant that I was out later than I intended to be on Tuesday. But it was worth it to catch up with my ladies! And celebrate Jess' new job!

Maridee's beer: "Just gimme one in a bottle." Apparently they're "America" now

So, Wednesday really started with birthday brunch with Miss Molly at Russ & Daughters (OMG SO GOOD!). And it was amazing food! I ordered the "classic board" with an everything bagel, lox, cream cheese, red onions, tomatoes, and capers and OMG so many noms, while Molls got the eggs benny (also looked good, but you know how I feel about hollandaise--no thank you). Plus, we each had a Bloody Mary with different vodkas (I had the one with pepper--because of course I did--and Molls got the one with caraway-infused vodka which was also pretty damn amazing, just not quite spicy enough for me). We finished birthday brunch with challah bread pudding to split because that's the kind of birthday cake I WANTED!

LOOK AT ALL THAT GOODNESS (mostly drunk Bloody in the corner, too)!

Then we went our separate ways and I jumped on the D to Coney for the day! It took me about an hour, so I had plenty of time to spend walking the boardwalk (the only other time I'd ever been out there was last 4th of July, so it was too nutty to really check it out), people watching, laying out in the sun and reading, and even a little bit of an ocean dip--I only got out there once because the wind picked up right after and I needed to change outta my wet suit. I didn't even make it past my stomach!

First selfie as a 31-year-old!

On the ride home I took the Q to Prospect Park and elected to walk home from there. It was a good choice. While it was chilly by the ocean, in Brooklyn the weather was absolutely perfect! So I took my time and enjoyed a leisurely 3-ish mile walk home (well, to the grocery store after I talked myself out of a hamburger and towards stocking my fridge). Then I made myself dinner, packed my lunch for today, watched a couple episodes of The Americans (Keri Russell, guys, who knew she could act?), finally put away the laundry that was hang-drying from Saturday, and generally vegged.

This might be my favorite pic of the day! My cartwheeling friend!

I also got sung to by no less than FIVE members of my family (la mama left a vm singing "Happy Birthday", Dad left 2 cryptic vms until I called him back and he sang the "Happy, happy birthday" song, Lindy sang 50 Cent ("Go Shorty"), and Jacki posted a video on my facebook wall of her and Ben singing a call-and-response version of "The Birthday Song"). So, well done you guys! I love you all!

General beach view. 

And yes, I would say that this birthday was pretty damn #31derful!

My beach view!