Why I go...

Tonight as I headed down to 10 on the Park for my alumni donor reception in my "business attire," I wondered why it is I go to these events BC lures me back into my college bubble with.

Most likely it was my mother saying on the phone moments before I braced the bitter cold, "ooh alright, go have fun, and maybe you'll find yourself a rich BC guy while you're there," that caused me to worry the reason I go is subconsciously to try and reconnect with the illustrious Peter whenever I immerse myself in New York's network of eagle post-grads.  Did I mention three Decembers ago that he was making 6 figures when I met him in his mid twenties, me a mere 19?    Cause he was. 

But I realized, as I sat listening to the board members, who before encouraging us to partake in the open bar were ultimately asking us graduates for more money and our life long commitment ever to excel, that I go for the moments when I get chills - listening to the stories of BC grads whose lives were changed by their educations, whose hard work paid off, and whose contributions to their alma mater were paid forward and have led to more greatness than they ever could have imagined.

I go to see old friends.  And I go to see what new opportunities may present themselves as I mingle amongst the Manhattanites I knew on the Heights.

AND... voila.... what do you know?  I go open to serendipitous circumstances, three of which I wound up in this evening: 1.  running into a girl I was asked to audition for a Yoplait Yogurt spot with last night upon the conclusion of my commercial acting class, 2. learning that an acquaintance of mine is sitting on a premise for a rom com that is just begging to be penned by me and my writing partner and 3.  seeing a former UCB classmate of mine in passing on my way to the 1 train, having him offer to tie my shoes and knowing that he's one of the bright lights I'll be graduating to LA with in the year ahead....

I go because I count myself lucky to be amongst those called to be men & women for others.   And cause I may only give $5 - $25 every time a current student calls from the alumni relations office to request a donation, but I've got a lot to give.

LA v NY: Part I

L.A. gets in your pores.  New York gets in your blood.

You feel L.A. like that perfect first booster shot worth of sun that warms you all over one random day in mid March or on the afternoon of an ideally temperate marathon Monday and you crave it thereafter...summer can't come soon enough.

Whereas New York starts flowing through you like a drug you are convinced you simply cannot live without staying connected to, invested in, driven by, or pulsed through.

So there's that.

Each has this totally tactile existence.  And L.A.'s is shallower for sure - skin deep.  While New York's you swear you feel in the depths of your gut if not literally coursing through your veins.

But there's reason to really let yourself get wrapped up or swept away in/by/with both.

Here is from the BFF, ichatted to me last week while I was on the west coast:

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/the-10-major-differences-between-new-york-and-l-a/

Sassy Starts, San Francisco & Church of Saint Paul,

the Apostle.

2013 is here folks.  Friends.  (Mom, Mary, Mower, and the other 9 of you who regularly peruse these posts).

oh heyyyy, to the 83 or so readers who also happened upon this one.  I got myself a multiplyin' audience.  according to google's numbers anyway,

ANYWAY, I went to church today at St. Paul, the Apostle's.  Where I've gone the past few weeks now because they've got a 5:15 I catch (most of) on my way to Magnet Musical Improv Level 3 (don't miss my shows Saturday nights in February!!!!!), and St. P's is a good interim parish.  I did my two years going to Jazz Mass multiple times per month like I said I would early in 2011 and then I noticed I stopped making much mention of my church going until I literally posted about going to the chapel last Summer.

But then tonight's homily was all about TRANSFORMATIONS.  And I decided it needed to be acknowledged.  Because when in early 2011 I was on the way to beginning my transformation I was all church talk, and now here I am again two years later talking big changes and leaps and bounds and dreams being brought to life, so it stands to reason that I should clue peeps in (however non evangelically as I possibly can) as to how one of the things I got goin for me is this weekly visit I make to la chiesa closest to wherever I happen to be any given Sunday.

And mang, it's a helpful constant.

In fact, amen.  Not just and mang.

So yes - first scatter brained post of this otherwise highly focused new year, and my words of wisdom for the blogosphere are nothing other than my notes that 2013 is off to a sassy start thanks to my San Franciscan jaunt this past Wednesday - Friday and my search for a new home church closer to my new place on 97th being serendipitously still going.