A Birthday List For A New Year (Apologies For The Length)

So today was my 23rd birthday. A rather uneventful one. Which was super nice. Being booked already for Showboat puts me out of a lot of auditions. Result: today got to be gloriously lazy! My roomie made me chocolate cupcakes with pink icing and put at least one pink candle in every one. Some had two pink candles. We then decided pink champagne was in order. After one bottle was split between the crew, we decided another bottle was necessary despite our dwindling numbers. It's a good thing we live almost next door to a liquor store! (I think we entertain the owners. The wife likes my lime green wallet and always comments on it. Though I didn't know what she meant by pocketbook for the longest time. Can you translate that to Southern for me?) Champers flowing and full of cupcakes, we watched Chess (Adam, Idina, and Josh-ee rocking it out) and 42nd St. Really, we talked through them more than anything. I'm another year older. Still green as can be in New York City, but I've learned a few things in the past year. 1. I can do this. I've had my doubts and my insomniac nights. I can make it. I might not be to everyone's taste, but I just have to find the people I gel with. The Dave Campbells and Michael Leeds are out there and waiting to hire me. And you can both hire me again if you like. I had too much fun with you two! What was that Michael said about me making a great Irma La Douce? :) 2. I have to have confidence in myself for other people to have confidence in me. 3. New York City has never been the magical place to me that it was to my MT friends in college. It's a dirty and very fast place to make a living. It's still not a magical city, but I have found a quiet pleasure in wandering through the noise and crowds. Let's be honest. I loved it in January when there were no tourists. I deal with it the rest of the time. 4. Rich Jewish kids have way more fun at bar mitzvahs than I did in the parish hall at my first confirmation. But I gave my grandmother the best gift I could when I asked her to be my sponsor. Her joy made my experience all the better than the glitzy mitzvahs I've worked. Though a DJ would have been cool. 5. My family is always there and supportive. From my comp geek boo to my weather boy boo to my goofy mother and my pooh bear of a dad, each and every one of you has my back. Thank you. 6. Even in New York people surprise you. I'm an overly critical person, but there is a lot of awesome out there just waiting to rise to the occasion. 7. Americanos are tastiest in New York City. I dunno why. Maybe the energy of the two things just matches up. They never quite taste as good as they do when you are walking down 8th Ave. 8. I don't need to always fit in. Confession: I've stopped wearing Laducas to auditions. I'm happier in my Capezio Choruses. Too long in point shoes and pulling toe tricks in tap shoes means the soft box on Laducas bothers me. It doesn't matter if I match the other chick's shoes. It matters most that I am confident and at my most comfortable best. 9. I still want silver heels and granny boots. Most dancers want silver heels. We who do lots of dead white people musicals want granny boots. (My friend who was our Eliza also exhibited granny boot lust. She is also a pro at dead white people shows!) 10. Gay brunch is a special phenomenon. I had LAMAO brunch in college all the time, but I had never experienced gay brunch until My Fair Lady. The biggest difference between the two is the amount of alcohol flowing. And only one discusses books written by dead white people. Your guess which one has which. :) 11. Sometimes I am ready to conquer a fear. Sometimes I am not. Most of the time I'll fall on my face until I figure it out, but sometimes I do need to step back and watch the bruises heal. Just don't step back too long. 12. So much of theatre has diddley to do with your audition. Especially in todays tight budgets, getting covers right, men's heights, existing costumes, and so many other details can cut you out. So I try not to get hurt feelings and throw elevator hissy fits when I'm cut. Cause I've watched enough of those to know that they are not flattering. 13. Facebook venting is also unattractive. And people who can hire me can see those hissy fits. Because if I've worked with you, you are my facebook friend. Facebook hissy fits are an example of bad networking. 14. I will ever be androgynous. It's trendy, but I just ain't! 15. Locals can be bizzare, but there is also a good chance there is a sweet as punch center to their craziness. 16. People in glass houses should not throw bricks. I am also weird and crazy. I shouldn't judge harshly. I have no right. 17. I will never be able to sing S'Wonderful without thinking of my grandma. She was marvelous. :) 18. The price of the the booze ain't important. It's worth only the company that it keeps. (Though I still like my dad's very aged scotch!) 19. Having quirky nail polish makes me happy. 20. I have amazing luck in roommates both on the job and in real life. 21. Bourbon balls are amazing candy from Kentucky. In fact, I think the state deserves accommodation for such greatness. 22. Jersey Gardens is a terrifying and wonderful place. Jersey might not excel at the megachurch, but they excelled at the megamall. In fact, I don't think they can be beat. 23. There is no shame in getting free Godiva chocolate and free panties from Victoria's Secret and nothing else. And for luck... 24. There is nothing like a new pair of heels. (Something I already knew, but it never hurts to say it again. And again. And again.) So there is my birthday list. Fueled by some cheap pink bubbly and happy feelings towards all my well wishers. Hope the upcoming year brings as much as this last one has. I'm ready. Bring it! (And to Hugh Dancy, Stacey and are coming this week to see you in Venus in Fur. And I have some good Scotch in my flask to toast you with!) Slainte!