Lonesome for the Lonestar state

I took this picture a while ago from a subway platform in the Bronx. Thru the lens it looked like a train station in the middle of nowhere Texas. I saw it on my phone today and it made me wish for one of those long walks I would take in the woods when I lived in the four way stop town of Garden Valley, TX. Don't get me wrong I love city life, but I could use a little Texas today!

How am I feeling?

This has been me all semester! At the end of a long day I pass out the first chance I have to sit down! Guess it means that I am giving my 120% all the time though right?

Ah... a little piece of home

Last night my cousin Candice called me to tell me she was in the city, so we met up for breakfast at a fun little place called the Applejack Diner on 55th street for breakfast this morning. It was so nice to see and talk to someone from home. It made my day... I left with that feeling like you are smiling on the inside... you know that feeling? I love it! So anytime anyone of you that reads my blog is in town call me look me up! I love visitors!

What you wish for does happen sometimes!

Yesterday was Monday and it happened like most of my Mondays do... with me running behind and finding out during the day that there is something that I have forgotten to do or misprioritized.... if that is even a word. So knowing that I had to find costumes I went downtown to shop a bit.... but of course the cheap stores close early so I decided to chill at the Starbucks on 35th street to work on a project... no sooner had I sat down with my coffee and pulled out my project that I got a text from my roomate that works in Times Square saying Ozzy Osbourne was playing there and there were bubbles! I stopped breathing and jumped into action. I have become quite the Ozzy fan the past few years and there have been numerous times I have walked past the Hard Rock Cafe and wondered if he would ever play there when I was in NY to be able to see. I was out the door of the Starbucks sans the coffee in less than 30 seconds and running up 7th Ave as fast as one can run with a 15lb backpack! 7 blocks later I arrived to listen to Ozzy do three songs... one of them being my fave "Crazy Train"

I knew I should have moved under the canopy I was about 2 ft to the right of this pic! He was playing just above this pic!

I have to say I think he is looking much better these days!

One day I am going to meet him. He is so intriguing to me and I just have one of those feelings you know? Anyway now I can say I saw Ozzy live!

Life as a New Yorker

Ok I know it has been forever since I last posted and it's only becuase I am busier than ever.. but I had to tell you the story of Wednesday trip to school! Same as any other day.. but I was running just about 2 minutes later than usual, but that two minutes can spell disaster when it comes to catching trains so I was already freaking out... Mind you I had looked outside and seen that it had rained overnight but it wasn't raining at the time so I was not overly concerned. As soon as I slid my Metro card and rounded the corner to walk down to where the car of my choice stops, I knew there was something terribly wrong. There were nearly a hundred people down there when on a normal day there isn't more than 25 people. I got down to the front car and ran into the girl that takes attendance for my class and we got to talking... the train came and we crammed on to a packed train which was also very odd.. but it was the only train at the time so we got on... as soon as the doors closed they announced that the final stop would be 137th street due to flooding. Once out of the station at 137th (mind you this is the heart of Harlem) I ran into two other students trying to make the 8AM warm up. It was 730 so we tried to hail a cab to no avail.. so we started walking.... and walking.. the cabs were all full...and walking the bus was out of the question because there were 50+ people at the stops and any bus that arrived was packed to the point of people's faces smashed up against the glass.... so we just kept walking.. 125th, 116th, 110th, still no cabs or buses... the humidity was ridiculous by 86th street I was drenched and was only on schedule to be 15 minutes late for my rehearsal... But upon my arrival at 61st street I was only 10 minutes late and had a fun morning walk to school... Now I understand when my parents/grandparents talked about walking so far to school.... 90 blocks about 4 miles was all though... overall it was a fun time!

Soggy Shoes

Ok... so this morning I was up and ahead of schedule when I left the apartment, and I swear to you that the minute that I stepped out the door the heavens opened up. So my 100 ft to the subway had me pretty wet already, but what I faced just down the stairs was something I have ever only had to do in a foreign country on missions. As I walked into the subway station I hear the crazy sound of rushing water, and once down the first flight of stairs I see it, a lake right at the bottom of the only staircase to the downtown train and no way around. I stood there pondering for a minute what might be in that lake based on the colors floating around on it's surface. After watching a couple women in much dressier clothes than I venture thru the foot to foot and a half deep lake I sucked it up and followed them, and said to myself... "Unique New York" So now my feet are uncomfortably wet and I really hate it.

The good ol days!

I recieved an email the other day requesting more photos of years gone by. So here are some memories of the good ol days of Leadership 20/20.

P- ... "Batcave Becky what's your 20?"

BB- "..In the batcaves...we need to fit an abroller in one of these techboxes and we still need to count the Telegu tracts. Have you seen the box of groundlifts and where are all the spanish Journey Tapes?"

I guess we have to put these in techboxes too!

Techboxes done...tracts counted.. and I have to be at the caves to make sure the costumes are ready... a quick nap on "The Womb" will be ni...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Do we have fasting retreat tomorrow? I'm so tired... what time is it?

TL's pic these up at 8 so all costumes must be ready

Makin Spagetti at the Wilkerson's with Mitch's secret sauce

Relaxation and sunburn after a loooong and rewarding summer :)

Bombarded by fireworks!

Aside from having them every night of the week I have experienced a whole new fireworks extravaganza tonight from the comfort of my own living room. As you can see I have 2 windows and there was a period of time this evening when I was watching fireworks on NBC, that there were fireworks also visible outside of both windows! It was quite the show! I'll be selling tickets next year.

The perfect way to celebrate the 4th

If my father were reading this post I know that he would argue with me between baseball and camping somewhere in the north woods, being the perfect 4th of July mode of celebration. But I would have to say that watching the Twins beat the Yankees today was a pretty good. Fireworks are not in my plan since they are downtown at the Seaport where there will be a million people and since I live with fireworks going off every night in the street below my apartment I don't feel the need to see them this year. I was thinking today about other 4th of July memories that I have, and other than many many camping stories I was recalling the summer of 95 when I was in San Salvador, El Salvador with Teen Mania. We were invited to the American University in the city and they had a big shindig complete with US Marines cooking beer brats! I remember how patriotic I felt and how interesting it was to celebrate while being in another country. And as for me today I have just been inspired by the smell of lighter fluid and Barbecue that I am heading to the market to get me a steak!

Waking up in a war zone!

It was Friday morning at 5 am and I was sound asleep... until my subconscious was shaken by what sounded to me like some kind of explosion...the building shook and I heard what I thought was wood breaking. My eyes were open immediately and my mind was racing to think through what it could be, when it happened 4 more times in quick succession. I jumped to my feet to look outside just as a firetruck pulled up. Within minutes there was lots of commotion on the street below...

The cause of the sound and shaking is seen in this picture that I took from my bedroom window.... can you find the open manhole? Yes that was it... 5 manhole covers blew out and broke in the street. It was nice to hear that was it, but I don't want to be awoken like that again!

But pardon gentles all...

the flat unraised spirits that hath dared on this unworthy scaffold to bring forth so great an object. I know it has taken me too long to post the update but it was a long time in coming. After all the drama of staying up to the wee hours memorizing my lines... I actually didn't get on the stage with it until today. Which was fantastic don't get me wrong. It really gave me the time to have the words in my body for a few days, so I didn't even have to worry about them. It went well, and it felt great! It helped that I had been to the Globe so I was able to really picture the scene! It was so much fun!

O for a muse of fire...

that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention. O how I wished that I would have gone to more Voice and speech reviews last semester and listened to the 3rd semester students constantly running this fantastic piece from Henry V. Instead I grew wary of hearing the first 3 lines, and now here I am having had the piece for about 3 hours and now a mere 24 hours from my Globe Theatre debut. Yes, we are to perform it as though we were in the Shakespeare's Globe theatre. Thanfully I was there just last year so it is fresh in my mind and I don't have to imagine what it would be like... now all I have to do is get the piece memorized and ready for performance. Can we say... not sleeping tonight?

Back in the swing of things

Today was absolutly exhausting... but amazing at the same time. I think I am going to love this semester. Please someone remind me of this post when I write something about not seeing the end in sight and thinking I am drowning. No I am not being a negitive person, that is the reality of the program. All of a sudden everything comes crashing in and you think you can't breathe, but then out of nowhere you are thru and you have no idea what just happened. Scary huh? I am going to attempt to maintain the blog better than before, so here's hoping. I must get some sleep tomorrow is a full day!

An amazing worship experience

So I am in ATL on vacation and I went to 722 last night... For those of you who don't know 722 is a service for young single adults... of which I am one of the older in the group, but whatever. Being in NYC I have not yet found a church that I feel at home at. With classes and everything else my church attendance has been very sporadic, so last night it was nice to be in a good service. They played something from Hillsong United's new CD and it it really hit home so I thought I'd share it with y'all. Enjoy!

Sleeping in Silence

I am on vacation and last night I laid down and realized that I almost couldn't sleep due to the silence. Last night though it was nice to lay down and not hear a siren, or fireworks, or cars and buses, or people yelling in Spanish at all hours of the night. I love NYC but I find that I need open spaces to regather my thoughts and breathe a little.

The Tony's

This was the first year that I have ever watched the Tony's, and it was exciting now that I know so much more about Broadway. The evening was a bit disappointing though in that Spring Awakening seemed to dominate every category. We found ourselves cheering when someone would win that wasn't Spring Awakening which was pretty funny. I think the best part was having my housemates and myself all glued to the TV and cheering... they are all musical theatre people so they knew lots more than me but I am learning and by the end of this year I am going to be singing and dancing all over the place! Just wait and see:)

Ah the good ol Batcaves

I was going thru some pics tonight and found this one, taken quite awhile ago... but it just made me smile to think of the memories created and lessons learned about work back in the batcaves! I can't believe that I got my picture taken with the soundboxes, what was I thinking? But I do remember those things being something I was very particular about at that job and I wasn't letting anyone mistreat them! Look at those shoes! Good ol Texas red dirt can't say I miss it at all! Ah the memories...

Why?

This is the quote on my google homepage.... why?

Middle age is when your broad mind and narrow waist begin to change places. - E. Joseph Crossman

7 is the perfect number!

This morning was up blogging and surfing the net until 4 am and realized that I had to sleep a little at least. I woke up bright and chipper and hour and forty five minutes to see that I missed a 5 AM phone call from my little brother (you'll always be my little bro Nate! Love ya!) Anyway it was he and his wife singing happy birthday to me and my brand new niece Hayley born at 1:30 this morning! Here are a couple pics of the little girl I share my birthday with... She held on for like 9 or 10 days to be able to share today with me and be a member of the 7 club in my family.

My Grandmother- January 7
My Biological Mother - July 7
My adopted mother- April 7
My adopted paternal grandfather - April 7
Me- June 7
Hayley - June 7
and I'll add my sister Cherie on July 27 and my best friend Beck on June 27

You are aware that 7 is the perfect number right? I know... Comon P we want to see pics!

Don't Ask!

I have no idea what the heck I was thinking but I wanted to post something this morning just random sillyness, I guess, so here it is. Maybe it's me not being able to sleep because I want to have some deep thoughts about being another year older or maybe I have actually reached my peak in maturity and am on the downward slope. I'm sure there are people in my classes that would actually appreciate a less "mature" me... whatever the case I am happy tonight... yet on the verge of tears... but I think that's only because I have been amazingly blessed in my life and every year that goes by I can look and see more reminders of God's faithfulness to me in everything I do, and on those days I think I want to give up, my next step gets it's momentum from the storehouse of memories pushing me on toward my hearts dream! So what I planned to be a silly post got a little deeper... what can I say I'm an actor emotions are my art :)