My First Week is Over

Whew! It has been a crazy week. Not crazy in a bad way, just kind of "head spinny" and overwhelming. Between the first week of classes, still trying to get settled into my cousin's apartment (ordering an air mattress, shopping for a desk, figuring out where to buy groceries in my neighborhood, doing laundry etc.), and just plain old getting the "lay of the land", it has been a week full of adventure! I'm tuckered out. It's good though. I feel a lot more settled going into week two.

This past week.....

I took a couple dance classes at Broadway Dance Center. I took a basic tap class and a beginner jazz class. Both classes were a lot of fun. The jazz class was especially exhilarating. The instructor was incredible, and the class was quite a workout. (I haven't been in a dance class in more than 10 years. I'm a little rusty.) By the end of the jazz class, I was starting to feel almost like a dancer (and I stress the words starting and almost.) I'll get much better though. I'm determined to keep at it! Tap was also fun, but a little bit more overwhelming. It was hard to make my brain and my feet work that fast at the same time. Again, I just have to keep at it.

Acting class is amazing. I adore Suzanne! She is an incredible teacher. My acting partner is a young man from Holland. He is incredibly sweet, and we have a very good and open connection. Most of my class is great. There is really a lot of raw talent and potential in our group. We're having fun.

Voice & Speech is transformative, even after only two classes. I'll have to go into more detail later. One thing that my voice instructor said this week that really struck me (and this has nothing to do with technique, it was just an interesting observation that she made) is that New Yorkers sometimes use their voice to create space. I had never thought about it before, but in such a crowded place, people really can use other mechanisms to create a sort of space for themselves.

Movement will be my biggest challenge. I like the class and the instructor, and I think it will be very helpful for me. I just know myself. That class will be the hardest one in which to really let myself go and get out of my self-conscious head. More on that later as well.

So, what else is new? Nothing and a whole lot at the same time. Is that possible? I miss my husband, but we talk nearly every day, which is nice. I REALLY miss Cosmo and Harley (our dog and cat.) As I mentioned in an earlier blog entry...I can't chat with them on the phone or keep in touch the same way I can with the significant human beings in my life. Yet, our pets are kind of like our children...so it is killing me to be away from them.

Overall, life in the city is good. I hope week two finds me a little more centered and a little less blindly trying to make my way in the world.

Thank God the Indians have been winning in LA! That series in Colorado this week was downright dreadful!