Perspective...

I feel like Sunday I turned over a new leaf here in NYC even though I've only been here a week.  I threw myself a little pity party and now I'm over it because it's all about perspective!

 I went to church on Sunday morning to Apostles Church and it was good but not exactly what I was looking for.  I had gone there last summer the first Sunday I was in town and sort of felt the same way so I never went back.  I thought I'd give it another shot...won't be going back.  After church I walked around the streets of NYC aimlessly as I do everyday. That's my way of exploring the city.  When I see a cute restaurant or something that looks interesting I write it down so I have a running list of things to do and places to eat in each part of town that I've wandered around.  Let's just say my feet are TIRED and FAT!  

Anyway, I made it a 2 church Sunday and ended up at Hillsong NYC at 7:00PM.  I was so excited to be there because I was looking forward to the music and the message and everything that I loved about it last summer.  Well, the service started and my mind went crazy with thoughts like "Oh my gosh why is the music so loud we're not at a rock concert we're at church?"  "Are these people for real or are they just putting on a show?"  "Why are so many people raising their hands? Is it authentic or are they doing it because that's what everyone else is doing?" "What do these people's lives look like outside of this service?"  Man, I was being soooo judgmental and boy, was I slammed with hard truth that rocked my world once the preacher started preaching!  He titled the sermon "That Girl is Poison..."  and based it off of the story of Samson and Delilah in Judges 16.  The preachers first quote was "It takes a lifetime to build a testimony and a moment to destroy it. It is our job to protect God's calling on our life."  He then asked what he calls a life altering question...  Has your perspective been poisoned because your vision dictates your future?  I just have to say the whole sermon was packed with a punch and by the end of the service I was in uncontrollable tears (I mean, that's not uncommon for me) and a new perspective on things.  I will be calling Hillsong NYC my church home and can never look at the story of Samson and Delilah the same.  

Sunday was a good start to the week and exactly what I needed.  Monday I walked around, turned in resumes for a server/barista job and then met up with Charles Barksdale that night before he left for Texas the next morning.  I love seeing familiar faces because it makes me so happy.  Tuesday was awesome because I had my first voice lesson here with a girl named Amanda Flynn.  We went to college together and I randomly found her ad on Playbill.com so I emailed her and set up Tuesday afternoon for a voice lesson.  I was taking lessons in San Antonio with a lady named Rachel Cruz for the past three months and begged her for some musical theatre rep.  I never got any from her so Amanda was everything I was looking for and I am so thankful.  She even sent me home with the following songs to learn...  

Simple Little Things-110 in the Shade

How are Things in Glocca Morra-Finian's Rainbow

There's a Fine Fine Line-Avenue Q

Follow Your Heart-Urinetown

Frank Mills-Hair

Lay Down Your Head-Violet

With each song she handed to me she told me why she gave it to me and what we will be working on with each one.  That's kind of amazing to me.  Yay for legit voice teachers!!!  Tuesday night I ended up at Battery Park City for a nice concert with a guy I've never heard of and Suzanne Vega.  The weather here that day was cold for summer so I was pretty chilly in the park at a breezy 73 degrees.  The music was lovely and I loved it.  

Wednesday I walked around some more but I always find myself at Bryant Park.  I just love that place and I'm mysteriously drawn to it.  I had a nice relaxing moment of reading Catching Fire for a while and then proceeded to Central Park to watch The New York City Opera's production of Tosca.  Of course, getting to where they were performing was a bit of a struggle but I eventually made it.  The performance was interesting because to me the girl was so awkward and wouldn't look the person she was singing to in the eye which made the whole story pretty unbelievable..at least in my opinion.  Eye contact is such a huge deal for me and I do know that I'm a really harsh critic sometimes.  So, in reality, I'm sure it was a wonderful performance for those who stayed the whole time.  I, on the other hand, left so I could come back home and work on my blasted portfolio. I have one more thing to insert and then it is finished.  I will be so glad when it's done because that means I can start submitting my stuff for a real job.   

Today was quite interesting.  I woke up pretty late and didn't leave my apartment until about 3ish.  I decided I wanted to check out Astoria Park today because I've heard great things about it.  I weighed my options of riding the train or walking.  Since they took the same amount of time I decided to go by foot so I could explore Queens a little more.  Hmmmm, that was not a good choice because I can't read a map and google maps is not really my friend so I ended up in the Astoria Projects.  I think that was the first time I was actually scared in NYC.  I was literally the only white person in the area and it was AWKWARD!!!  I kept looking at my Google maps and it kept telling me to go all these crazy ways and I wasn't even near those streets so I was panicking on the inside and saying to myself...get out, get out, get out!  I was so far away from the park it wasn't even funny.  I really do need to learn how to figure out which way is North, South, East and West because that's what Google uses.  I'm used to directions like.. "stay on this road and turn left on 23rd street.  You'll see a bunch of trees and the river will be on your left."  Those directions are easy to follow and don't get me lost.  Astoria Park was just another park and nothing too exciting so I hopped on the subway to Midtown and once again I found myself in Bryant Park watching the free Yoga class on the lawn. They have that class every Thursday night so I need to remember to go.  

On the agenda tomorrow is a dance class at Broadway Dance and then who knows what else. So far, it's been a good week. 

Battery City Park at Dusk

River to River Festival with Suzanne Vega

Tosca in Central Park

See, just another park :)

Livin' it up, 

Miss Gulley in Manhattan