the day after christmas letter

So,
Well it has been a wonderful vacation.
I hope you all have had a merry christmas, and happy holiday.
As we know life is not without its uncertainties, and in my business especially,
here today, gone tomorrow.
Well in the case of the national tour of Evita, I was gone on dec 26.
I received a formal letter of my termination from the tour, and how I would not be rejoining the cast after the break.
That was all, no explanation.
Because there was no fault on my end, I would really like to have an explanation, this means that I need to ask a lawyer to find out for me.
SO life resumes again, just at a quicker pace than I anticipated, and I will be praying to find a place to live in philly, and getting back on my audition horse. I will no longer be writing about tour life, but will resume my audition stories as well.
I feel however God is already working things out, and his exciting plan is only just beginning to unfurl, are you ready for the ride!

IT"S ALL OVER

WOW!!!
IT"S OVER!!!!
WHHHOOOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
I am so ready to go home!!!!

These last 2 shows today have been absolutely crazy! There was so much energy and excitement going on that all kinds of mishaps were happening.
You know what else, I am also way to excited to even right. I will tell you that we had some fun time playing on stage. Sometimes the most intimate quiet moments on stage is when the worse conversations or games are played, cause that's when you're trying to break everyone. so in the middle of lets say our funeral scene someone will bust out crackin up. The other games we play on stage are tag. That's right you have to tag someone and they are it, but what makes it fun, is you can't let it mess with the show, or let the audience know or see what you're doing. So you have to be creative to figure out when you're going to do it. Sam tagged me right as she went into this huge layout freeze where I hold her hand. It was fabulous!!!
I leave you til later, the next time I write, I'll be at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are finally down to the last day!

We are here now in Phoenix Az, We had a long day of driving to get here, but I was on the floor for most of it so it went by pretty fast for me. I am just so excited and so happy that I will be going home in well, tomorrow!!!! YEAH!!!!!

Now to have a little fun, we have been playing and gift exchanging thru Secret Santa. On the bottom of our lists that described things we liked we put down a wish. Now this wish is something you would want done that has no involvement with money, but can be anything you can think of, that is in good standards and boundaries. The only real stipulation is that it can't effect the show, and it has to be done on wish day.( there were actually 2 days to fulfill it) And our secret santa is suppossed to set it up and make it happen.

Now Elizabeth's wish was to have Omar where his Halloween costume all day. Now it's a pretty standard Frat boy costume, has to do with alcohol, and there's something on him that says blow here down by his you know wheres. Apparently the costume is a Breathalyzer. So he obliged and did. They can be as simple as back rubs, to as extravagant as 2 crew guys in their boxers with big red bows around their chests caroling to you. It's all pretty much in your imagination. In fact Ralphie our guitarist wanted to walk across the stage with the Aristos from the show while being fed grapes. Well now there was no way he could have done that during the show, but Elizabeth his SS made it happen still. After sound check she got the aristos all together to make their cross, and she stood next to Ralphie as they walked across singing, and fed him fruity gummy snacks. So it's all a matter of being creative. Hanks wish was to have his own dressing room, so His SS set up this posh space, with mirror and all in the bathroom stall! It was extremely hysterical, and Hank loved it and chortled like we did. Now since his SS was Omar, who is a lead and has his own dressing room usually, he just gave him an I O U that said he could use it sometime. Now I know you're wondering what my wish was, well mine was pretty crazy, I wished to have the whole backstage crew tuck me in one night singing to me "you are my sunshine" in their underwear. See I went to the wild side. Needless to say it didn't happen. Actually I have been feeling pretty jipped by my SS all together. One day while we were at a bus stop, someone comes on the bus handing me this black bag of peanut butter cups, chocolate covered peanuts, and this plush stuffed dog. Now our mass limit was 20$, and he left the price tag on everything, which all added up to 20, so I figured and am right so far that I am not getting anything else. I think my SS is Jet. He didn't even know that I despise dogs! But anyway, My person to give gifts to is Gabriel. His secret wish was to just have an awesome day of fun, or to get an intense back massage. So I made him have a big people scavenger hunt. What he had to do was figure out who the clue on the card was talking about, and go to them to get the next clue. And the last clue lead him to Chris miller, one of the 3 most saught out back meusers on this tour. He was going around all day trying to figure it all out, He kept saying how much fun he was having. So I felt good that I had a cool accomplishment on . and still have more presents for him.

So they fixed the internet connection YEAH!!!!!!

Today I was awakened by a phone call from my friend Jess on the east coast. She is the girl that pretty much started this whole thing. Her picture is the first pic I think I ever put on my blog, it's the one with me next to a beautiful blonde, and I'm in a black tie.( I think it's on my second post.) Anyway, we have been friends since our first show together, which was Aida, and she is the one who told me to audition for CHICAGO,(oh by the way, she didn't know I would have such a bad time there.) She is a beautiful girl, who writes passionate songs, and is a fierce dancer. Well, I haven't heard from her in a while, and was wondering what show she has been in, well the great news she told me was that she, after multiple auditions, and various callbacks, and visits infront of the director, was offered the role of CHRISTINE in the Broadway show A CHORUS LINE!! That's right she made the show with my big bro James!!! Now she is the first replacement for the girl who is on broadway right now, and if the girl happens to renew her contract than she is the Christine for the First national tour that will go out in March. This is such an awesome thing for her. I am so happy for her!

And I was able to tell her about the cool thing that happened to me yesterday.

So yesterday after I found out that we could check our email in the airport, I was one of the many who wipped out there laptops to sign on. I had been getting emails from Cirque Du Soleil telling me that my online application was not finished, that I needed to send them my video demo so they could fully review me. Well I have no way of making a video for them, and on top of that I had no idea of what they wanted on the video, cause I couldn't find anything that told me the requirements. ( oh When we had visited Las Vegas the first time, and I got to see that Cirque how KA for free, is what inspired me to send them my info). Well this email was to tell me that since they hadn't receieved everything, that they were not looking at me anymore, and goodbye. Oh well, I thought, better luck next time. So time passes, and I go check my coat to make sure everything is in it's place, never can be to safe at an airport, and I see that I have a voice mail, so I check only to hear this uhh umm.." hello this is Sonya from Cirque du Soleil, and I wanted to speak to Alfonso parker about his online app. and his video submition, We would like to see this so we could decide whether or not to bring him in for an audition, so please give me a call back." (abridged version), WHAT!!!!! yes that's right they personally called me and wanted me to get ahold of them. So um of course I did, and had to leave a message cause she wasn't there, ... But then she called back!, She was able to tell me everything I needed on the video, and my time frame. She then preceded to get all my vitals, ht wt, birthdate, Oh yeah, this was real. Now I couldn't freakin believe this, now I don't know what their audition process is like, but I am sure they do not call everyone to send them full applications just so they can see if they might want to fly them in for an audition. And even if they do do that for everyone, I'm freakin one of them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It just feels so awesome to even be this far in this process of this big dream I've had. So when I get back to philly I will just be getting this video together, so pray that I make a fierce video.

Tonight was the first night that I didn't perform in the show, So you know how I told you yesterday that I was going to get my knee checked out, well the only place I could go was the ER. So I went and waited for a year, and found out there is nothing wrong with my knee. In fact from my resting heart rate I am an athelete! The Doc check out my knee and told me that my body was telling me to freakin chill out. It is doing this thru the means of bursitis, which is just inflamed sacks of fluid that we have on all our major joints. SO I can't do any other kind of excersize besides my occupational dancing, but gave me a note to get out of the show tonight, which my friends was fine with me. In fact they should probably be here in any minute. It has been a wonderful night of relaxation, and on line errand running. So thanks for praying for me, keep doing so, cause I'm gonna freak out since I can't be active, and especially since I can't dance as much as I wanted too, i'm gonna feel like a fat slug.

That's all thats new here tomorrow we head to New mexico.

I am thankful for the ability to pursue my dreams!!!!, and SEE THEM COME TRUE!!!!

here's some other fun pictures from Las vegas!

5 days left of crazy

Please bare with me. I have found out that the thing that is worse than bad internet connection, is no connection at all. We have just travelled thru Nevada, and since everywhere we stayed had a cacino, there was no free internet. There has been so much that has gone on, and right now I can't even go into everything because we are at another hotel that has again very bad connection, actually out of the whole cast, My roomate Tripp is the only one that is able to connect. So He is letting me use his puter just so I can somewhat update.
I guess I'm just going to have to for go all of the video and pictures I took of all the days gone by,maybe I will just post them all over my break so you have fun stuff to look at. Well I left you off in fresno, ca. I had a great time with my friends there, got to do laundry and eat real homecooked food and vegetables. It was beautiful. However there did seem to be some tiff that happened with the guys in the dressing room, concerning tipping our dressers, but that's all resolved now. The next day when I came back to my room from spending the night with my friends, I came in to find my bed double occupied, and a party mess around my bathroom. Apparently the party and power hr had gotten busted, and so moved to my room. Needless to say I wasn't very happy. But we got over that as well. There was also a spell of a real bad stomach ache, and horrible sinus ache. That has also passed. My knee however has not gotten better, and this thouroughly disturbs me, since my body is my livley hood, and because I love to dance and be active it's just killer. The problem is, I don't know what's wrong with it, and I need to go to a valid Knee doctor, who can actually give me an MRI. So I have been dancing with soreness and pain, now I just take 3 motrin before each show.
We left Cal, for Reno ,NA, and a real rough weekend. It was our first 5 show weekend. A show friday nite, 2 on sat, and 2 on sun. Absolute no rest. And we stayed in a big ole casino hotel. Now I don't know if I told you before from when we were in Las vegas, but I hate casinos. THis place takes the cake for Cities I never want to be in again. The only cool things about this city was this great coffee shop that we found that was right across the street from the theatre. We ended up just hanging out there between shows, and my dresser fixed my military coat on her on accord( the lining had come apart from the coat, and she sowed it back to the sleeves) Awesome!! you don't even know how much trouble those sleeves caused, so I was so grateful( and hence gave her a tip), in a joke one show when she asked what else she could do, I said something to the effect of having cupcakes ready for us. Well to my surprise, when we walked to take our last costumes off from finishing the show we were met with tupperwares of cupcakes on our chairs! It was awesome, and totally made the bad experience better. because I was so blessed, I had to bless some one else, so I shared one of my 2 cupcakes with Rob, the Bus driver. he loved it! Also it was the first time Stephanie called out who plays our mistress, so that ment that there had to be a desicion made for who was going to take her place and sing her song. Well it landed on one of our Eva understudies, and Malia sang this one out. Man It was awesome. Now I told you how the ensemble loves when stuff like this happens cause it actually makes us think again, and keep the show fresh, rather than going thru the motions. It was great, you should have seen us back stage before she went on for her seen. Everybody did there quick change in the wings just so we could all watch her. It was a great sense of commonality, and brought us together. And she tore it up, and looked very sexy in her nittie.
The most crazy thing that happened in reno was this, The presenter who brought Evita to this theatre is was also bringing it to El Paso Texas, which was on our schedule for Tomorrow, Wednesday, but he made a comment to our manager about getting hto El P in time for the show on tuesday. Well Brad(our Manager) laughed like it was a joke, and was met with the most serious face from the presenter. That's right, no one had told our company that they were selling tickets for a tuesday show!!!! WHOOOOOO Let me just tell you *!%5E$#$ HIT THE FAN! Where we were was over 12oo miles from El P and we only had a day to get there. The plan for us was to head to Las vegas, for a night off, then head to Tuscon AZ, for another travel day, and then be in EL P, well what ended up happening was that had to fly us this morning from Las vegas to Texas.
Las vegas again! Now I really don't like this city, but the people are way more comfortable to be around then in reno. We ended up staying at the same hotel again, yep, HOOTERS. Now most of the great shows to see in Vegas were dark, they were off that night, so my plan was to just do nothing. Being that it was Monday and I only had 7 days left before we all get to go home, I really don't care to do anything but help the days go by faster. I did however want to have my hooters experience, so Tripp Geoff and I went downstairs and ate at there. WOOHOO!! We had a very nice waitress who wasn't acting like a totall ditz, it was a good time, and I ate too much. December in Vegas is known thruought the country as well," country" month. This is because in the beginning of this month they have Rodeo Week! Yes, Which we happened to arrive just in time for the kickoff festivities. Cowboys everywhere!, you better believe I was scared, especially in Hooters. Oh and there was also in extra influx of Brits there cause if the Ifc boxing fight that happened a few nights before. so it was a pretty crazy mix of people. We ended up watching a lot of the rodeo with dinner, quite entertaining. I was just going to go back to my room, finish watching Clue, and call it a night, but tripp convinced me to go with them to watch the fountain show at the Belagio hotel. You know, I am so glad I did, ( in the middle of the show I even turned aside and whispered thank you to him). the show was great! I'll try and post the video of it. After that we had some fun takin pics of the strip on the way back. The night was capped off by playing a wonderfully team card game called kemps! And celebrating is absolutely intense, and mostly to adult to talk about hahahahahah!
Well this morning we got up and took a plane to El paso, and now we're here in Texas. The show here was fine, though the audience gave us absolutely no energy. You can tell we are all tired and want to go home, there is an edgyness to everyone, people snap more quickly at each other, everyone's pretty much done for the 4 moths we've gone with no real break, or grasp on reality. And I am numero uno when it comes to wanting to go home, just trying to make it til sunday. What's really funny is that the ironic thing about our last week is that it's probably one of our hardest weeks. On friday we have a 12 hr drive, where we get up at 5am, to go straight to the venue, and perform a show, and then have to drive 35 miles to our hotel, and then I'll have to unload eveyones luggage, oh joy and rapture. Please pray for me and all of us. I'm going to get my knee checked out tomorrow, pray that goes well too. Oh and I have awesome news to tell you as well, so really pray that my knee heals quickly and is fine!!!

I am thankful there are only 5 days left

I hate this internet connection

Sorry again, bad internet connection,

It is December. A time when the hussle and bussle of shopping for loved ones abound, there is good feeling music on about whiskers on kittens, and roasting chestnuts, and everybody is 10 pounds heavier because of all the wool gear they have on, because of the cold. Well actually nowadays, it's thermal, goretex fleece, hahaha.

But Not Here In Fresno California!!!! Man it feels like its early fall down here! We went to them mall in short sleeve shirts, and light jackets if you will. It's crazy, and the sun was shining ever so beautifully. It isn't too much today. Anyway the show last night went well, the audience was real rowdy which was pretty awesome. For some reason it was really hot in stage, and apparently it was in the house too. My friends Jen and Cam were able to come see the show, and they said they were roasting.

Yeah!! JEN AND CAM!!!! These are 2 friends from philly. We went to the same church together, when Cam was in Med school, and now he's interning at a Hospital here. They are from here so it is good for them. I am so happy to be here with them, it has been a long time and I love them dearly. Yesterday was also Jen's bday so we got to have little surprise ice cream cake party too!! Yeah Ice cream cake. So we are also here next to a fabulous, and I do mean that, Mall. Now what makes this hard, is the fact that I need to save money so that I can buy my family and friends gifts, and I've already set some money aside, but it just seems so much easier, and cooler to be able to buy things for them now, while I'm on the road and at cool places, but the only issue with that is, how am I going to get it all home. But the biggest thing that makes this mall Great is the fact that there is a Cheesecake Factory restaraunt!! OHH how I lOOOVe cheesecake. But then J and C told me about this place called BJ's, where I just have to go and get fish tacos. Ok I'll take there word for it, but then they told me about this hookalatowie or whatever, who knows, but this awesome dessert there that is this personal pan deep dish cookie thing, OHHH YESSS. Um if you haven't figure it out by now, I have the biggest sweet tooth there is. and Even before a show, even if it's a big dance show where I am bear chested, I can be coaxed pretty easily into eating a donut. What's funny is the cast knows now that I have that weakness and makes fun of me. Oh well. Looks like I am going to be getting fat all over again, since I can't really do anything physical cause of my knee, oh well, my push ups today have been awesome, so at least I'll have a big chest to go with my belly, hahahaha.It's going to be fun here, I am going to try and post lots of videos

I am thankful for babies!!!!!!!!!!WHOOHHOOOOO

13 and counting down

so there is really nothing to report. Still here in Modesto, Ca.

The show this afternoon was great.

We have a wonderful day off tomorrow, and I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet. I can't do anything to strenuous, for I rekindled a knee pain from running the first day we got here, SO I am going to have to go to the Doctor to get it checked out. Please pray with me that it is nothing serious.

Oh here's something cool, On our first visit to Las Vegas I was able to meet a fellow penn stater who is working on the cirque de soleil show Love.( the beattles show). Well if you remember from before, she told me about a whole lot of new stuff going on with Cirque, and it has alway been such a dream of mine to be in one of their shows. Well I contacted her again to let her know that we will be in town again, and if she could get me tickets to the show, or help me talk to a dancer that I would greatly appreciate it. She emailed me back with some sad news, Love is dark right now til the 12th, which means they are not performing. So I will not get to see the show, but! she said that she would be able to personally hand all my credentials to the talent scouts!! WooHOOO, I'll be in a show in no time now!!!! Now I just have to find out what I have to put on the tape, and get myself freakin video taped!!!

Tonight I also saw why I don't want to get drunk. There was this guy trying to get in his room, and was just a hot mess, busting his body up trying to get in, soo sad.

We are counting down the days now!!! and now there is only 13 more days til I'll be at home!!!!!! YEAH I am so freakin excited!! All I will do is dance! I will take about 3 classes a day, and then a 2 hr workshop every afternoon. Now this is just for the first week. Then I will go home to State College for Christmas.

Here are some random pictures from days gone by,( yes we are both in a split)

the review

Day 2 in Modesto,and we had a 2 show day, which means fun in the dressing room. The shows went fine, we actually ended up getting more love and audience participation from the matinee rather then the evening show, which was weird, but we had good shows, and the reviews from last nights performance were great. But the review from Napa Valley came out, and was not so great at all. This posting is in direct relationship with an earlier post titled the "smell of wine in the air", I beleive, the one I talk about meeting Eldon(scroll down). Remember how I said the reviewer told me I stood out, well she also printed it, in the midst of saying our whole cast was pretty much horribly tired, and showed no energy, she printed it. So of course I have been getting crap from the cast. I have copied some excerpts from her review.

"To begin with, the show seemed out of place on the Lincoln Theater stage, which felt too small for the elaborate production. In the first scene, a projected film that usually cues the audience to the movie theater setting was conspicuously missing. Often, the staging was cramped and claustrophobic. Even the lighting seemed a bit odd at times.Such technical obstacles — and the tech was really quite impressive — are to be expected from a touring company, which must readjust for each new venue. It should have been the actors who picked up the slack, the actors who added that extra sparkle. But the acting was lackluster.There were no real mistakes to speak of. Technically, each performance was spot-on. But the energy was what you might expect from a troupe that had just left San Luis Obispo at 5 a.m. and arrived in Yountville for two performances before the end of the day and another "

"Some members of the ensemble gave stand-out performances as well, including Stephanie Barnum, originally from Benicia, in the role of Peron’s mistress. Dancer Alfie Parker Jr. shone in every number. When the rest of the cast seemed tired and bored, Parker infused energy into each and every movement.before the end of the weekend."

This is the blueberry crew, that's the name of our costume gondola "blueberry" all of the gondolas have a fruit name, just so the crew knows how to keep track of them all in loading in and out. Actually every container of everything has a name, and they're weird, Ill take some more pictures of some later. Anyway, my roomate Trip and I and Bj are in the blueberry crew, and here's a stupid little video for ya! ps. sorry about Bj

Awww laughter

Here we are 4 days in Modesto, California.

How absolutely awesome! We are staying at a double tree, and it is an amazing hotel. You always know its a great stay when they greet you with warm chocolate chip walnut cookies,HELLO! Yeah umm, I took 3 hahahaha.

We are all so happy and excited to be here. Since we're here for a couple days we pretty much emptied the luggage bays on the bus, boy my back is tired, I'm going to have to get major work done I feel, from loading and unloading, and then being in the worst postures ever on the bus, (anybody want to give me massages for my birthday!?)You also know you're in a great hotel by the fitness center, and if they have one, well Let me tell you it is fantastic!! And you know I am going to be in that thing every day, they have such a wonderful set up, with waits and a sauna too, Yeah Jesus!!! Now I can feel like a dancer again. Today I went in there and ran almost 6 miles(thanks to my new friend Dave for the inspiration, though I shouldn't have cause of my knee), and got to stretch it out like I used to, my body is wonderfully sore! I'll take some pics of my stretches and the great gym tomorrow.

Actually my new friend Dave is making me seem to have an all around better attitude about life. Thanks for the new excitement, and renewal of hope in life Smiles!

The show tonight was wonderfully fun! The theater is a beautiful place, and with enough rooms that we only have 5 to our dressing room, it's always nice to have space. Now the evening started out good I thought cause the theatre is in walking distance, which always helps us, especially tomorrow with a 2 show day. But during our meeting before warm ups, there was like this complain session about our sound in the show. It seemed like every negative comment came out, I think it was only bad cause people didn't say how they felt in a way that wasn't so condemning, though I feel the same way with a lot of them. So people were just kind of grumpy, for some reason though, we ended up having fun on stage. And it even started in the beginning, I caught Cameron and Bj laughing, which of course made Buddy giggle. Then all the dancers decided to make our one dance number Spicy! We usually pick a word and try to express that in the number. Well during the whole dance people were talking, and making noices, and giving descriptions of spicyness, it was fantastic, and we all feel it's been one of our best ones. Even in the charity concert Alexis and I were chuckling about something. We got a note that the military wasn't loud enough, so when we got on stage we were screamin for Jesus!!! spit was just flyin out my mouth! it was freaky. And the best thing that happened, right at the beginning of act2 Omar totally changed the words of the song, Instead of ", People of Argentina" he said "people of Europe" which is said later on in the act by Peron, and we're supposed to come right in and sing over him, with Peron, well half of us did, cause the other half was crackin up, it was so amazingly wonderful. So tonights show was definitely our funnest so far.

I am thankful for friends who care, and make you not to do things that hurt yourself!

love people as hard as you can!

A Washington Renewal

We have made it to Washington!! And we had a great show tonight!!

We arrived here in Olympia yesterday, and about an hr later my great friends Erin and Kevin came and picked me up, and took me back to their house in Seattle!

I had an absolutely fabulous time, I don't think I haven't gotten to see them since I sang in their wedding which was 2yrs ago, so it was a long awaited visit. And you know what was really awesome for me, this: Kevin is a pretty quiet guy( doesn't mean he's not listening though), and poor fellow broke his foot jumping down from his bunk on his Navy ship, so he was seating in the back seat, listening away as his wife Erin and I gabbed away and caught up. Well I made a comment apologizing for not singing the best I could at their wedding, to which he chimed in and said that was his favorite part of the day, and at which the moment when He let go, and either almost cried or cried. Hearing this Comment from him floored me, and I quickly shut up about it, I don't think he knows how much that meant to me.

Anyway we had a wonderful time talking over this wonderful roast that Erin made, and then baking cookies, and brownies, ( which of course I brought all back for the cast), only after I had my share in a delicious ice cream sundae!. All we did was hangout and watch disney movies, The Incredibles, and the new one Ratotouie (it was alright).

Seeing them was wonderful and restored me some more for being on the road. But I ended up getting closer to a new friend as well today, and that also made me lifted, my energy level for the show was awesome tonight, and man I was able to look over peoples crap, and just smile a lot more tonight. I even felt good enough to be the bigger man, and I went and had a talk with someone in the cast that I had been harboring ill judgemental feelings for, and asked for their forgiveness for. Man did that feel good. So though it has been raining here, surprise surprise, If it is God crying , it was because he was happy that I am doing the right things.

Today I am thankful for new beginnings with old friends, taking risks with new friends, and for the freedom of forgiveness!

oh yeah, and for these sweet new water bottles we got tonight!!!

Love people as hard as you can!

next stop a night's rest in redding ca

a ponder on a bus

We are traveling,

That's pretty much all we ever do. We had a stop last night in Eugene Oregon, actually stayed at the same hotel from when we performed here, you know from earlier posts where I talk about the goobers, and the video of little gabby. We are now in Olympia Washington, which completes my upper left corner of my map. The only thing I'm missing from the west coast is Arizona and New Mexico, though for some reason I feel as if I've been to the phoenix airport before. We perform here tomorrow night, so we have the night and day off to go crazy. What's great for me is that I have a great friend from high school, and college n Seattle who are on their way to pick me up, to give me a night in a home rather than hotel, which is absolutely wonderful.

I think one of the hardest things for people to do is be grateful.

and it makes me wonder how often I live my life with, or in gratitude. I've just been thinking. A lot of people in the cast feel they're entitled to things. You hear alot of complaining, whining, and dislikes about any and everything. Now it's not always hunky doree out here. We've had some pretty disgusting hotel rooms, with mold and mildew, long bus rides with ever changing food stop times, to places with slim to no food options(pity the veggies), an over smelly bathroom that at times reeks throughout the bus, and that is without all the work aspects. But it seems that people will more often complain first rather than be patient and see thru the situation. There's alot of speaking before you think, sometimes I wonder if half of us here have even heard of that before. Now on top of all this, and long tiring days, I still have manual labor to do of unloading, and loading the bus, and from dealing with every ones luggage you see who's considerate and who isn't, If I wanted to I could be the foremost runner for bad attitude, so I've decided that every night I am going to try and sit down and write out what I'm thankful for, and to tell someone what I've written. I don't want to live life grumpy, or have a complaining attitude, or have people remember me as one who always notated the negative.

So right now, I am thankful for a strong back, that is healthy and can allow me to do hard work after a long ride, and the pain of knowing my muscles have been used.

remember

love people as hard as you can.

The smell of wine in the air!

One of the coolest things about being involved in a tour,
is traveling from place to place, and the experience of choosing to not live in fear. See one can have an attitude that says, hey what do I got to loose, I'm only here for one night, I can be anybody I want, or talk to any one I choose. It gives you an heir of courageousness so to speak. Well Being a people person, I am already inclined to talk and connect to strangers, and the added attitude just makes me super out going Alfie! hahahaha

Let's see, I now am friends with the waiter from Tupelo MS, the bar tender from Billings Montana, the dance studio receptionist from Santa Cruz Ca, and today solidified a new friendship with Eldon, and his wife. Eman was the runner for us yesterday, the one who had to just hang around until somebody needed something. So as usual, I forced him into conversation. We ended up sharing alot about each other, and feeling free to get into a real deep conversation, even in the midst of everyone else. It was pretty awesome, he turned the whole day around. If you remember from before, this was the long start at 5am day that went into a 2 show day, where we spent over 13 hrs at the theatre, SO needless to say everyone gets tired and annoyed of each other, and it was great to have a whole other persons energy to connect with. He was able to bring his wife and niece to see the show the next day, and afterwards they were gracious and took me out to dinner. And now I have friends here in Nappa Valley Ca! How sweet!

The other very encouraging thing that happened here in wine country was this, a reviewer came to see the first matinee we did on sat, and apparently picked a couple of people she wanted to talk to. Not being able to put face with name( cause no pics in the programs) she went up to the merchandise guy and described who she wanted to see. Well it was me, I mean all you really have to do is ask for the deliciously dark chocolate guy, and everyone knows who you're talking about. Anyway, she didn't need me for long, she just wanted to tell me that I really stuck out from the ensemble, and that I was a good dancer. That's all I needed. In this show where there is only 1 dance number, and I have none of the featured dance roles, and just keep feeling like I am getting fat and ugly, to have someone say that I stand out in a good way(besides being black) is such a needed affirmation.

We are now headed to Olympia Washington! It will be my first time in that state as well. It will take us 2 days to get there, with a stop in Eugene Oregon again, same hotel too. So I will try and post some fun video, and pics from the bus or something. Oh by the way I made it so anyone can comment on any posting, so if anyone has any questions they want answered, or anything you want me to talk about, or take pics of let me know!!!!

love people as hard as you can