And two months later...

Lots of things have been happening- lots of meetings and interviews and what seems like endless hours in waiting rooms.

My band has been rehearsing, recording and performing.  A couple of our songs are gonna be in a movie and we're stoked about that.

It's been a lot of hard work but I think I have gotten a lot of my life under control- things that seemed to be out of control for the past 10 months. I can't believe this past year and I'll I've been dealing with.  Life is forever surprising me. And I keep finding strength in myself and my friends when I think we couldn't possible keep going.

I am thankful for my friends.

Onward to bigger and better things.

See y'all.

Bedside Manner- 24 hr film fest movie

My friend Sunil passed away this morning

It's his birthday today.

There's not much else I can say. I've been camped out at his wife's house since 130 am and am trying to do whatever I can. All women here: best friend, sister, and me. Trying to cope. Boxing up all the unwanted/unneeded medical equipment and moving it out. Making tea with whiskey in it. Cleaning. Making lists of people to call.

I have to admit, this is one thing facebook is good for- spreading the word to those we can't get to right away. It might seem a bit impersonal, but we just want everyone to know as soon as possible. Especially since it's his birthday.

Everything is quiet now. But I can't seem to sleep. There was a beautiful sunrise.

I am so glad he's free.

We'll miss you terribly, Sunil. Happy birthday wherever you are on this beautiful morning.

Swiss Chard Soup?

My friend Mandi gave me a bunch of veggies to eat (her fridge was overflowing) and so I am getting ready to  experiment with cooking swiss chard and collard greens. I know. I am southern and should have cooked collards before now- but I haven't. Until today, that is. So after searching through my recipe books I have decided to make some soup and maybe a pasta sauce with all those greens. Now to find a use for giant bags of carrots and celery...

My big screen debut is tomorrow night. I have convinced myself to go. It is going to be very strange to see my face that huge.

I am still getting use to hearing my own voice on my band's mp3s.

Had some good and bad interviews in the past few weeks. If nothing else, this  job search process has been an adventure. I really have been lucky to never have had to deal with feeling like the universe is against me before. I guess, previously, I have been doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Or, as some people have been telling me, I am still doing exactly what I need to be doing even though it feels like I'm stuck in a holding pattern. I am just trying to let go and trust that I will be taken care of somehow  if I live my life the right way and take care of those around me the best way I can. There is a lot more to life than money - and I think I lost sight of that in the Financial District, and took having enough money to be comfortable and healthy for granted.

I have some great interviews lined up over the next two weeks covering the worlds of admin work, modeling and acting. If I can work part time, keep doing films and sing with my band I'd be perfectly happy.

See y'all

24 HR Film Race

So. Last night a bunch of people crowded into an apartment in Washington Heights (146th street and St. Nicholas in Manhattan) and started filming a movie. We tried to figure out who we were and launched into various scenes. We had the strangest blitzkrieg-style filming of a drunken hook-up scene in a bar (I was the friend trying to keep it from happening) and then they went on to film the  morning after-type-aftermath. After the initial panic about the amount of improv involved and realizing I had no control over the final product, I tried to just BE in the crazy bar, react and improv through the bare bones style script..And I guess we were doing a good job because the drunk people kept wandering into the shots not knowing we were filming. Somewhere in the city my team of filmmakers is busy editing and adding music and credits. Next weekend I'll be up on the big screen in a movie theatre downtown. Frightening but awesome.

Tomorrow I am recording more songs with my band. That's my happy place.

See Y'all

Food Network, Oyster 3.0, MY NEW BAND, some modeling

So, I had a lot of free time, and then, suddenly, I didn't any more.

A week or so ago I shot what should be the first episode of the new season of  24 hour Restaurant Challenge for The Food Network. It should start airing in July in the timeslot after "New Food Network Star". I will probably come across as a more than slightly disgruntled patron even though it was a pretty fun time. I did sign a confidentiality agreement-  so I can't release all the dirty details until my episode airs. But then, I will divulge EVERYTHING.

Oyster/Orster/Easter 3.0 took place at my friend Mandi's apartment this year.

http://bedburyrajan.blogspot.com/2010/04/marlon-is-10-and-easter-is-fun.html

On Mandi's blog (link posted above) just past some info on the fabulous 10th birthday party for Sunil's daughter, Marlon, you can see some pics of Angela and Mandi on their bikes during the party planning afternoon  and  the ever popular easter egg decoration segment of Oyster. Despite locking ourselves out of the apartment twice,  everyone had a grand old time! I made some punch out of various juices and rum in a giant bowl and brought my doritos/kettlecorn combo which seems to be mandatory these days.

Also, I  joined a band, YOUR CROOKED NEIGHBOUR. We recorded parts of a few songs last weekend. It was weird  to hear my voice but really great in the end. I really love singing. The people involved in the band are all such great musicians and people. I am really proud of the stuff we have recorded so far. As soon as our songs are online I will tell you where to find them!


Below is the W. H. Auden poem our  band name comes from:

As I Walked Out One Evening As I walked out one evening, Walking down Bristol Street, The crowds upon the pavement Were fields of harvest wheat. And down by the brimming river I heard a lover sing Under an arch of the railway: 'Love has no ending. 'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street, 'I'll love you till the ocean Is folded and hung up to dry And the seven stars go squawking Like geese about the sky. 'The years shall run like rabbits, For in my arms I hold The Flower of the Ages, And the first love of the world.' But all the clocks in the city Began to whirr and chime: 'O let not Time deceive you, You cannot conquer Time. 'In the burrows of the Nightmare Where Justice naked is, Time watches from the shadow And coughs when you would kiss. 'In headaches and in worry Vaguely life leaks away, And Time will have his fancy To-morrow or to-day. 'Into many a green valley Drifts the appalling snow; Time breaks the threaded dances And the diver's brilliant bow. 'O plunge your hands in water, Plunge them in up to the wrist; Stare, stare in the basin And wonder what you've missed. 'The glacier knocks in the cupboard, The desert sighs in the bed, And the crack in the tea-cup opens A lane to the land of the dead. 'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes And the Giant is enchanting to Jack, And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer, And Jill goes down on her back. 'O look, look in the mirror? O look in your distress: Life remains a blessing Although you cannot bless. 'O stand, stand at the window As the tears scald and start; You shall love your crooked neighbour With your crooked heart.' It was late, late in the evening, The lovers they were gone; The clocks had ceased their chiming, And the deep river ran on. I've been filling my free time with resume sending sprees, interviews and modeling gigs with hair salons and a cool make-up studio in DUMBO, Brooklyn. God, it's pretty down there. Afterwards, I take the time to walk back into the city over the Brooklyn bridge. The view of the harbor is amazing from the bridge. The main thing I miss about my corporate job, besides my coworkers, is getting to look out over the harbor every day. More soon, I promise. See Y'all

My headshots have been found!

After waiting since November and thinking they were lost for good, I now have 60 shots from my photo shoot last fall to work with. Now, if the universe can reward all my hard work looking for a job with rent money (or a JOB) today would be perfecto.

See Y'all