It's Hairspray!

So I made friends with the owner of Sticky Fingers Gourmet Apples, Donna. She's a really nice lady and it's actually been really great going in and talking to her for the last couple days, just about things like how she started the business and me telling her about the theatre and stuff. I love supporting local businesses and I love how small town it feels, to walk into a store and know and talk to the owner. I don't know what it is but it makes me so happy to be able to walk into a place and know the people there. I also really admire her ambition and how well her business has been doing. She started it kind of as a whim and online-based and it just totally took off and it's doing really well. She's completely booked for October and November doing weddings, what a cool idea, to have chocolate apples as favors for a wedding. I'm definitely going to keep that in mind.

I think part of what was so nice is that she's just a normal, down-to-earth person, supporting local businesses and working in the community. There are just so many characters in the theatre business and while they can be a lot of fun, it's nice to talk to a "normal" person haha. I think it made me realize kind of what I want and what makes me happy, being in a small community and giving back and doing something that benefits my friends and neighbors. Again I feel like this goes back to starting my own theatre company, as something that provides business and entertainment for the community and gives back to it. Something not muddled by large corporations and greed and politics, but has that local "mom-and-pop" feel while still being high quality. Just like her apples are from local farms, using the best ingredients, all homemade by her personally, and at a much lower price than her competitors because they don't have to be as high as they charge. I guess just something to keep in mind.

Last night Kenney and his friend Brenden and I went out to karaoke downtown and we had a lot of fun. I had my first cosmo haha and it was delicious. I realized that while I like going out, it's not a great place to meet people since most people just want to hook up and that's not what I want. I'm actually not really a sexual person at all and it's not that important to me. I just want to find a nice, down-to-earth person to go out and do things with and have fun. Like to go out on some dates and get to know each other, maybe go see a movie or something. I feel like I need to look outside of the theatre community to find that haha.

On a side note I downloaded Disney on the Record and I actually really like it a lot haha. It's a fun listen for the car :)

P.S. Here is the link to the Sticky Fingers website http://www.stickyfingersapples.com/shop/. It is definitely worth checking out. Here is a sample of their almond joy apple, yum!

It Feels Like Home

So yesterday was another successful evening night in. I came back to the apartment and I made caramel apple cupcakes while skyping with Megan which was oh so much fun. Skype is amazing and it really was like she was right there in the kitchen with me. Now that I have internet I plan on skyping much more often. After the cupcakes were done I went over to the apartment on Johnston where most of the cast and the stage manager lives and hung out with them over there. We just sat around and had some drinks and played truth or dare and other little games like that. It was really fun to sit and just converse with everyone and get to know them better. I hope that can happen more often.

I realized that there is a possibility that after Hairspray is over I may be the only one in the apartment. I also realized that it is my apartment for the next couple of months, and while I am trying to save money, I still want to make it homey and nice, especially since I'll be here through the holiday season (by that I mean Halloween, Thanksgiving, and half of December). Maybe I can go to the dollar store and get some cheap decorations and make some things to fill out the apartment and maybe have people come over for gatherings and stuff. I've always enjoyed hosting parties so we'll see.

Oh I also bought a really nice side-bag from Fossil to use as an every day bag, since my laptop bag isn't really big enough and I only have a backpack other than that. It was a little expensive but it is exactly what I envisioned in my head and I'm really happy I made the purchase. I'm going to try and add more pictures and things to my blog as I go along :)

P.S. Here is a picture of the coat I talked about in an earlier post. It's a small picture but you can kind of see it.

You Can't Stop the Beat!

So last night I got back to my apartment around 7pm and really had absolutely nothing to do. I considered several options: one was driving to Geneseo, but then I realized that was crazy. One was driving to Boston, but again that's a lot of driving for a short time and I want to be able to visit when I have more time. Another was going to a bar, but I had no one to go with and I didn't want to go alone. So I decided to stay in my apartment. I read my Rachel Ray magazine that I bought on a whim and got inspired to make Cannoli French Toast in the morning (which I did haha). It's a pretty good recipe and I think there are lots of possible alternatives to the recipe so I'm definitely gonna keep it in mind. I called Megan and talked to her for like a half hour which was wonderful. I really miss having her around and really hope we can live together again. I drank 2/3 of a bottle of wine while cooking steak and mushrooms while listening to Sara Bareilles, and I also watched Something's Gotta Give. I really do love that movie. I think it is really funny and endearing and even involves theatre haha.

It's weird, I don't usually like being alone and for the last four years I've been constantly surrounded by people, so I was kind of sad thinking about what a boring night I was going to have. But once I started doing things, I realized it was nice to just have some me time and relax by myself. It also helped to talk to Megan because I got to let some things out and got to talk to someone of importance to me, even though I really had nothing too exciting to talk about. After I talked to her I felt much better. I'm actually talking to her online now and I know she is about to read my blog and this post so it's kind of funny I'm writing this, but it's all true. So I love you Megan and miss you so much! You've become such an important part of my life and someone who I know I can call and talk to whenever about anything. I'm so lucky to have you in my life :)

Now run and tell that

NOT HAVING INTERNET AND CABLE SUCKS! I mean I could live without one or the other, but BOTH?! Ugh, at least there is interent at the theatre and I'm here most of the time anyways. Time Warner is coming Monday and while its about $40 a month, it will be worth it. It's only for a couple months anyways.

I guess the one good thing about not having it is that it gets me out of the apartment in the morning. I've been going to the gym at the community center and my goal is to keep it up. It's a really small community center but it's good enough. I wish they had zumba though....haha oh well.

I've been driving around the area just trying to find where things are and get my bearings and I definitely know the area much better now which is good. Everything is close to each other so I'm not nearly as secluded from civilization as I was in Chatham haha. And there is a bar called the Black Cat that is open late every day right across the street from the apartment so there is always that too haha.

I realize being here that this is much more like the real world. Like going to rehearsal is my job, and then I have my life outside of the theatre. At Mac-Haydn it all just blended together and here it feels very separate. I guess I also got to remember I've only been here like four days and as we all spend more time together we'll all get closer as well.

Oh I also got called for JURY DUTY today. Really? Seriously? Ugh so I had to postpone it until January, and hopefully it does not run into the intensive at Goodspeed.

God I need a drink...

Welcome to the 60's!

So yesterday I moved out of Fairview and up to Cohoes. It was really hard to leave. I found that once my car was completely packed I just kept wandering through the house, trying to find something else for me to do so as to prolong my stay there as long as possible. I guess it was a little easier since I knew I was coming back that night (and I'm still here at Church street as I sit here writing this) but it was still hard. And then once I got up to Cohoes, I had to wait around almost two hours until I could finally move my stuff in, and then, already overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I had and the too small of a room to put it all (it's really easy to accumulate a lot of stuff in four months), the bar to hang clothes on collapsed. Needless to say I was upset and it made me miss Chatham even more. But once I finally got stuff sort of put away and went to rehearsal, things got better. The director has lots of energy and is funny and a little crazy but it keeps things interesting. I haven't gotten a chance to really meet the cast yet, and it's a little weird since I'm coming in late, but I'm sure I'll get to know them all very soon. I haven't even really met the music director yet since we have yet to have rehearsal together haha. Well we will see how rehearsal today goes. It's weird not having rehearsal until 2pm, what a laid back schedule! Haha it will be nice though.

I'm going to end this with the note I got from the universe yesterday since it was incredibly appropriate to yesterday:

Sometimes it just sneaks up on you, Chris, doesn't it? You don't even see it coming. Suddenly and without warning, you're surrounded by the best friends you've ever known. You're waking up in the mornings just "dying" to get into the day. There's a lightness in your step and a gleam in your eye. Your thinking is new, your laughter frequent, and you're drawn to tears whenever you hear happy tales. You're on a roll, so it's not like you're thinking about it, but if you were to think about it, you wouldn't know what's gotten into you, nor would you recall just when. You'd only shake your head whenever you thought of how quickly everything can change...

Just something to remember the next time you don't see something coming.

By the way, you row my oars -
    The Universe

Appropriate, right?

One Day More...

So it's the second to last at the Mac. It seems very surreal. Max and Boom and Andrea and Kelly are here visiting to see the show and it's nice to see them again. It's weird, Andrea kind of described it as like coming home, and in a way I feel like I'm leaving home. Like when I drove back from Cohoes today I felt like I was driving home, and that I would just be commuting back and forth. Maybe that's why I enjoyed my time here so much because of that homely family feel that I think I really crave and will miss other places. I like being close and connected to people and just having a core group of friends. I think it's funny because I strive to learn everything I can about people and make connections with them and really have friends, but I feel like I don't open up as easily to people as I should. Maybe that's why I started this blog, to kind of put myself out there so people can see more of me. I guess it will help to see more of myself as well, especially if and when I ever go back and read this splattering of mumbo-jumbo.

Maybe I'm too malleable and too easy to please others. I feel like I change depending on whom I'm around, and maybe because of that I've lost who I am, whoever that is. I think I may try to hard to be the person others want me to be. But maybe that's just who I am, I just live for other people. I discovered Wednesday night when I was home alone that I never want to be alone and that I hate it. I don't mind having my own room, but as long as there is someone else in the house, I'm ok with that. Just knowing there is another person around, it's just so comforting. I hope I never end up alone, I don't think I could deal with that. Maybe that's why I'm so nervous about the career choice because to what kind of life does  it really lead to? One where you know lots of people but don't really "know anyone? One where you can never really meet anyone to share your life with? Again I guess it's the whole unstable aspect about this career. I guess also I don't really know what I want to accomplish. Like is my final goal to make it to Broadway? God that's so cliche, but I guess it's true. I feel like I will never be there though. I just don't feel like I'm good enough or talented enough. It just seems so incredibly far away, like a destination that I will never get to. Maybe I'm meant to do something else...well so far everything has been unfolding the way I anticipated so I guess I'm on the right track. I guess I'll just keep plugging along day by day and see where this crazy life takes me.

Uncharted

So it's been a while since I last posted because this last week has been crazy busy. So backing up to Monday...

I dropped my car off to be inspected and I went shopping with my mom and she bought some new clothes (thanks mom!). While out shopping we saw this gorgeous coat at Express, but I waited to get it to see if there was anything at other stores and just to kind of wait and think about it since it was $300. Anyways later that day I had Jaime, Kim, and Sara over for dinner and we hung out and talked and caught up. It was really nice to see them and chill with them, but it just made me realize that things really are changing and life may be starting to take us all in different directions.

On Tuesday I got up and went to St. John Fisher to see Joe for a little bit, then I went to Victor to visit Megan. It was so great to see her and talk to her and kind of see what she was doing in her life. I miss her a lot. Then I drove down to Geneseo...this is where my day got back. Firstly I got my first ever speeding ticket...ugh. What was so frustrating is that it really was an honest mistake. I remember 390 south being 65 mph, so when I was getting off 590 onto 390 I went to pass a truck. Then I saw the speed was 55 and immediately slowed down, but it was too late, and the cop gave me a ticket. Literally five seconds after pulling out from being pulled over, the speed limit changed to 65. SOOOOOO frustrating. And THEN I get down to Geneseo and EXIT 8 WAS CLOSED!!!!! So I had to drive all the way to exit 7 and come up through Mount Morris.

Anyway so after the drive from hell I got to Geneseo and had a chance to see lots of people and it was great to see them. I felt transported back into the world of college and it was so weird walking around. I felt like a student again. I didn't miss it though, and oddly I kind of felt like an outsider, like I didn't belong there, which I guess is good because I don't haha. It was Michelle's birthday that night so I had dinner in Victor with Chantel, Mike and Megan and then went back to Geneseo and took her out to all the bars.

After dinner in Victor though Megan and I went to the mall and we stopped in Express. I looked at the coat again and there was one left in my size, and Megan had a coupon, so I bought it and I'm so glad I did. I can't wait to wear it every day haha. Now I just gotta find a scarf to go with it...

Wednesday morning I woke up early, really early, and left Geneseo at 7:25am haha. I got home and organized some things and relaxed before driving out to Cohoes to meet with Jim and get ready for my first Joseph rehearsal! It went really well and I had the kids memorize the colors of Joseph's coat. I have another rehearsal tomorrow morning, and then Hairspray starts on Monday. I think it's going to be a lot of fun, and the space is cool, and my housing is really close. I didn't see the house yet, but I saw the street where it is. It will be nice to have an easy schedule, though I don't think I can go see Colleen up in Maine since it's 5 1/2 hours away :/ Oh well........

Yesterday I got up and went down to Garnerville in Rockland county to visit MEK. It was really great to see her, and we just gotta hang out at the mall. We went to build-a-bear and the Disney store, ate at Chile's, and saw Despicable Me, so it was like kids day for us haha. She had to go to rehearsal for Gypsy, and I kind of wanted to stay and watch and then go out with her, but I was so tired from my busy week and I didn't want to worry about navigating in the morning and not being back in time so I left after I dropped her off at rehearsal.

And now I'm here back at the Mac! I got up, mailed in my ticket, paid for my coat, saw that I was accepted to the Goodspeed music directing intensive (YAY!!!!), helped with work-call, then we went to the Whitestone Cafe for lunch/dinner. The food was pretty not good, but it was fun, and we did a couple lottery quick draws and it was really fun. I totally understand why gambling is an addiction because it is INCREDIBLY addicting. I don't usually gamble but it's fun to do it every once in a while.

It's weird that these are my last couple days here. I'm going to miss everyone and miss being here. I would definitely come back next summer, especially if nothing better comes my way. My note from the universe was really good today too. It just reminded me to be thankful for what I'm doing now in my life because there are people who would die to be doing what I'm doing, and that life can be "one of the those really, really 'good problems'". Once again, the universe is correct.

P.S. I just got from Andy via Brett the new Sara Bareilles CD and it is really really good and I recommend it to everyone :)

Easy To Be Hard

So I have a break! Amazing! We finished the matinee performance of Birdie at 4:30 and then I don't have to be back at the Mac until Friday at 5pm! Everyone went their own ways and I went home to see family and friends and get some things ready for Cohoes. I saw Jaime and Kim tonight and it was so good to see them and just sit and chill. I plan on going to Rochester and Geneseo on Tuesday to visit more people as well.

It's kind of odd being home with no one else home though. Jillian is in Ireland, Julia is at school, Sean is still away, and Dan is busy with med school. I feel the group slowly moving apart and it feels like there is nothing to do but to let it happen. I guess this had to happen sooner or later, as we all got older and had to start our own lives. It's just not the same as when we all used to be on break from school and would all get together then. I guess that time has come and past, which is sad. I worry that Dan doesn't realize what is happening, and one day he is going to look up and we will all be gone. I guess this is really where we see what friends we hold on to and who we strive to keep connected with. I guess it's all part of growing up.

I could use a good note from the universe about now. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow haha.

We'll Always Be Harmonizing

So the opening of Birdie went surprisingly very well and was well-received by the audience, which I guess isn't too surprising because while it is kind of a dumb show, it's cute and fun and enjoyable to watch. We had the cast party at the Fairview house and it was a blast. Lots of silliness and good times happening for sure. Highlights include Karla and Monica re-inacting Bosom Buddies, exploring the attic and John scaring the shit out of Andy and I, drunk-dialing everyone from the company, and everyone commenting on how delicious the cookies were though they were the easiest things to make ever haha.

I had a really good conversation with Heather as well. I told her about my goals for my career and how I was going to apply to grad school for performing arts administration, and she told me I should focus on music since it's really what I want to do. It just made me re-think what I should be doing and maybe I really should just focus on the music. It's hard though because I feel like I am not good enough, that there are so many people out there more talented than I am. And yet at the same time I know I have what it takes, that I have something special and unique that I can bring to the table. I want to help create theatre that has artistic value, to create a product worth viewing and that moves people. I understand that has to fall to the wayside, especially in summerstock because there just isn't time, but I don't want to be stuck in that world forever. Maybe that's why I enjoyed doing it so much in college because there was time and the only pressure we faced was creating a quality show. I think I want every production I do to be like how RENT was, but the reality is that's just not possible. I guess I can only hope that I will get a chance to be a part of a production like that again. Maybe that's why I want to do arts administration because I really want to be a producer, so I really have my hand in the show, yet keep music directing as well since I do enjoy that too. I think the thing I missed most from this summer was being involved in the production side of the show, so maybe in the future that will be different.

It's Opening Night!

So last night we watched the movie Connie and Carla, and it is HILARIOUS! If you are a musical theatre fan, you will love this movie. Nia Vardalos + Toni Collette + David Duchovny + drag queens + showtunes  = a FABULOUS movie!

So I heard back from Jim Charles and he offered me the job to play second keyboard for Hairspray and to music direct Joseph and A Christmas Carol. It's nice to have a job, but I feel like my schedule is going to be really busy once again and I kind of wanted a break to catch up with old friends and visit at Geneseo. AND I can't go to the MTC show in December because it is the opening weekend of A Christmas Carol. I seriously considered not taking the job because of that fact, but it would be silly. I may not be able to make it out to see the mainstage show either...it really does suck but I guess this is the life of the career path I've chosen, at least at the moment. It's tough because it's not like a normal work schedule and I don't know how I feel about that. I like stability and normality in my life, and while it's definitely exciting,...I don't know I think I just need a break haha.

My note from the universe today basically was to remind me that I am loved, in not so little words. It is a good reminder to have every day, and thinking about it and about what happened today I can see that it is true. I need to keep this in mind as I leave this theatre and move on to the next one. It's going to be weird because it's going to feel like starting all over again, only I feel I won't get as close to as many people since it's only one show for a shorter amount of time. Being at Mac-Haydn really does feel like family (thanks Dee for that, and the delicious dinner :) ) and I think that's why it's so sad to see people leave. And while it's a crazy summer, I feel like it might be hard not to come back next summer. We'll see.

Just about time to go open Bye Bye Birdie. Last show of the summer. Here we go!

*Lip-syncing Omigod You Guys is so much fun :) See video

Let's Do the Time Warp Again

Not really any time to write today, had tech for Birdie which was a bitch and a half but we got through it. Went to karaoke night at a bar called Rocks in Albany and had a blast. Probably going back on Saturday. Definitely time for bed though. Final dress of Birdie tomorrow. Oh and Cohoes offered me a job! Yay!

From Both Sides Now

So yesterday I watched two very contrasting movies. The first one was Eclipse at the movie theatre (it only cost $2 woo!). It is actually three times better than the first two, which was exciting, but it's still not very good. We came to the conclusion that the movie isn't good, it's entertaining haha. Kristen Stewart didn't look nearly as busted in it as the first two, but she still can't act her way out of a box. I'm just glad I only had to pay $2 to see it.

We then came back home and watched the movie Life As A House. This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. The story is great, the acting is fantastic, and it is beautifully made. If you are in the mood to cry and want to be inspired to live life to the fullest, then watch this movie.

Fairview is going to be quiet with only five people living in it. It still hasn't really hit me that people aren't coming back. It just seems like people are gone on a day off and will be back soon. The more I'm here though the more I just want to move to NYC just to be around these wonderful people. I know I'll ge there eventually, I guess it just will depend where life will take me.

I'm finding it hard in this career path how I'm supposed to find out about job openings. It's different than an actor because they just go to auditions. But there aren't "auditions" per say for musical directors, and things are not posted online nearly as frequently. And no one really ever taught me or told me what I'm supposed to do in this field or how to be successful at it, I've just had to kind of figure it out for myself. Hopefully I'll learn a lot and be able to answer most of these questions at the Goodspeed music directing intensive in January, assuming I'm accepted.

*Song of the day (or I guess of last night) is From Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

And I know that I'm the Luckiest

So I didn't get a chance to write yesterday because of rehearsal and then our final two shows of Show Boat. I tried to spend as much time with everyone else here since most people left last night or are leaving this morning. It's weird to think that I've been here about as long as a college semester, probably a bit longer, and I've been around the same people every day for so long. I've made some good friends and I'm sad to see them go but I know we'll stay in touch.

Today we are going to go to the last day of the Columbia County Fair and then we are seeing Eclipse tonight which I'm sure will be bad and hilarious. I don't have rehearsal until 5pm TOMORROW which is utterly amazing haha. I feel like these next two weeks are going to fly by, and I still don't know what I'm doing when they are done. Hopefully I'll soon find out.

P.S. Reading Mad Gab cards aloud in a group while drinking is one of the funniest things ever :)

Some Day I'll Wish Upon A Star

So I didn't get a chance to really write a post today since today was Saturday at the Mac-Haydn which means being at the theatre from 10am to 11:30pm...so basically no free time. But today did mark our last Elks dinner of the summer, and solidified that there is only one more day of Show Boat left and then most of this wonderful cast is leaving. At the coffeehouse tonight many of the songs were very sentimental about saying goodbye and such and I got very emotional. I'm going to miss a lot of people here and I really did have a wonderful summer. I guess it also doesn't help that my days here are coming to an end and I still dont know what I'm going to do after this job ends. Hearing people talk about the city just makes me want to move there more and more every day, but I know I shouldn't, until at least January. Hopefully a job will come up soon and I will be pre-occupied with that/feel more secure about my life.

I thought it was a bird but it was just a Paper Bag

So last night we had a party where everyone dressed like someone else in the cast. Needless to say it was quite hilarious and a lot of fun. I picked Nancy who is playing Parthy in Show Boat and I looked amazing if I do say so myself haha.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Cohoes which is very frustrating since I was told I would know about their hiring decisions three weeks ago. It's just annoying to be in limbo and not know what I'm doing yet and the clock is ticking. So at the moment I'll either be going up to Albany after Mac-Haydn or going back home, either way it will be nice to have more free time, though I do miss everyone at home.

On our day off the other day one of the ushers invited us to a pizza party at the gymnastics place that they own, and it was so much fun. My shoulders and back and still sore from using the rings, probably because I don't remember the last time I lifted myself off the ground haha. Being active at the place ACTUALLY made me miss going to the gym, something I thought I would never, ever think. I just forgot how good it feels to work up a sweat and get your endorphins going. So I definitely plan on going back to the gym after my job here is over. So thank you, ushers at the Mac-Haydn, for inspiring me to go back to the gym :)

P.S. I just fell in love all over again with the song Paper Bag by Fiona Apple. Thank you Jillian Healy :)

P.P.S. Allergies REALLY suck. I think I used up two boxes of the Mac's tissues in a week.

Lot of Livin' To Do

So a long time ago I was inspired by my sec-a-ret roommate Megan Ball to sign up to get Notes from the Universe. Basically it's an email that sends inspirational messages or words of wisdom to you Monday through Friday of every week. For example this was mine yesterday:


One of the coolest things about time and space, Chris, is that it's impossible to kid oneself indefinitely.
Pow,
    The Universe

Kind of cool, right? If anything they are nice to get because I can expect to get one email every day of the week haha. Well today I was going to start my post with the note that I got today, but it hasn't come yet. Which is very odd because they have always come, in the morning, every day, for a year. Maybe it's a sign...the Universe forgot about me! Obviously I'm not really upset about this since really it's just someone at a computer sending out an email every day, but maybe it does mean something. I do believe things happen for a reason though, and while we need to shape and create our own paths in life, I do think there is something bigger than us out there somewhere. I'm not a religious person because I think that religion is a belief system that was created by man and therefore flawed and anyone who strictly follows it is foolish. I do consider myself to be spiritual because everything that happens in the world just cannot be explained in ways that we humans can comprehend. This issue is one of the main subjects in the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman, or the Golden Compass series. I think these are excellent books and they made me think about the world in a different way.

Maybe the reason I didn't get the note from the universe today was that I would write this post about it. I guess everything does happen for a reason haha


*So after I wrote this I went to the website to try and figure out why I didn't get a message. I realized that it is still set to send emails to my Geneseo account, which is probably full or inactive. After changing my email I realized that the note I would have gotten is posted on the page when you log in anyways. So this is today's note:

Somewhere, over the rainbow, Chris, there's a world where birds sing into every night, flowers bloom across every land, each problem has 10,000 solutions, and people live lives only to love and be loved...

Just like under the rainbow.

Ain't life grand?
The Universe

I can't begin to tell you how happy we've always been with your choice of Earth, Chris. 


:)

Open a New Window...

So I've decided to start this blog as a journal for myself. I figured it was an appropriate time to start one, just having graduated college and my time at Mac-Haydn coming to a close. I've always wanted to start one but I never did because I just assumed I would never keep it up, so my goal is to keep it up for at least a year. I've never kept a journal or started a blog or had a livejournal. I've never really been an introspective person but I feel like it is important to analyze oneself every once in a while, hence the reason for this blog.

I was inspired to start this blog after reading someone else's blog. One thing I have learned about myself this summer is that other people inspire me to do things I may not have done normally, like start this blog. And as I sat contemplating this fact that someone inspired me to write this, I wonder if I inspire others as well. So maybe someone out there in the world will read what I have to say and be inspired as well.

P.S. If you haven't heard it yet, the song Fields of Gold covered by Eva Cassidy is absolutely beautiful. Thank you Jaime Lawlor for introducing me to it :)