The Morning News

I remember waking up to the delicious smell of coffee with sweet cream and sugar,
Still half asleep, I’d walk into the kitchen to find my grandma and grandpa reading the morning news paper;
I was always eager to receive ‘The Mini Page’ so that I could feel like a grown up.
I was hooked on the intoxicating smell of recycled paper and ink––games, activities, and fun articles that would inspire me.
Journalism and exploring world events was just one of many wonderful life moments my grandparents shared with me.
Now, as I sit on my iPhone and comb through the stories that populate my news feed, I miss those delightful exchanges.
I’ll be forever grateful for the wisdom and knowledge they instilled in me.

Write Through The Blocks

Finding the inspiration to be creative daily is often a challenge;
When I catch myself staring at a blank page on a glowing screen, I start to panic.
Self-inflicted fear and unfair demands only damage what little imagination I may have in those instances.
Rather than focusing on producing brilliant words that will live on forever––I just start typing (similar to what I’m doing here on this daily blog post) and wait for some magical piece of (I want to say cake because that’s all I can think about right now) the puzzle to redirect me into my process.
The path of an artist requires working through the toughest challenges, and hopefully the end of the path reveals a new direction.

Yoga

Body and mind at peace;
Or at least breathing through the fact that I stuffed my face yesterday and I want to feel good about myself today.

Note To Self:

Chili with extra jalapeños taste delicious;
But will inevitably cause serious side effects.
#LastNightsDinner is #TodaysTorture

Out With The Old, In With The Nouveau.

Waking up to the thunderous roar of heavy machinery at 7:50 AM;
Another McMansion arises from the ash of a once beautiful Ranch house.
Nouveau riche douche-bags are lining the once gorgeous streets of Los Angeles, with monstrous boxes––overstuffed with terribly executed contemporary fixtures and poorly crafted finishes.
I can’t wait to meet the new neighbors, I’m sure they will be hosting an open house soon; if only to show off what little taste they have.

One Word:

Faith.

Wake Up

It's 5AM on Sunday;

Passengers look like zombies in a Halloween parade.

The line for coffee is too long, despite the intoxicating chemicals Dunkin' Donuts surely infuses. 

I love my job—I hate travel days.

Solo Saturday

Nine to nine;

Dolly's got nothing on me.

Coaching and cleaning choreography.

Travel Day

Parking at a cement graveyard of cars,

Left abandon for days as their navigators fly to exotic locations like Cleveland, OH for work.

It can be brutal—almost as dreadful as the walk across this sea of pavement to the shuttle bus; 

Just in time for it to pull away.

Break

That moment you take before jumping back into the twenty-four hour work cycle.

I Love My Job

Step, kick, kick, leap, laugh, step.
There’s nothing better than doing what you love with talented people.
#SecretChoreographyProject

Grateful

When you let go, you make space to receive.
I experienced this again today.
#Grateful

Life. It's Hard Sometimes.

I consider myself a happy person.
I surround myself with positive influences in the form of affirmations and quotes (from people who are much wiser than I).
I meditate and improve my physical well being through yoga, healthier eating, and stress relieving exercises.
Still, some days I wake up in a negative space mentally and emotionally.
In those moments, I do what I can to remember that I have a choice.
Sometimes it works, and other times, I spend longer than desired in dark thought.
I can’t help wonder about my friends and family who actually suffer from depression.
Mental health is something that I take for granted, because I only find myself feeling sad or crippled with fear occasionally; it’s so overwhelming I feel like giving up.
Thankfully, I have access to the aforementioned tools to get me through a rough moment in my life. I realize I am fortunate that I don’t struggle beyond the infrequent dips in happiness.
So rather than focusing on my momentary laps in joy, I offer support, love, and positive energy to my friends who suffer from a serious disease.

Self-Sabotage

Listening to that dark, negative, evil voice will surely lead to a disastrous outcome;
Dousing the hate-speech with love, Faith, and positive action will always lead to a brighter opportunity.

Life Cycle

Staring out of the window in my office,
I become mesmerized with the colors of the changing leaves.
The beauty of fall; golden, red, brown, and still a hint of green––which reminds me that even in transition there is life.
Renewal everywhere. Good or bad, everything passes in a season.

A Trip To The Beach

A trip to my old stomping grounds;
Memories of soccer practices, hide & seek, and neighborhood block parties.
Life was so much easier when my mom and dad handled everything.
My biggest fear was deciding what clothes I would wear to fit in––never fully understanding that I always selected things that actually made me stand out.
I get sentimental especially during this time of year. The fall always reminds me of new adventures, back to school, Trick or Treating, and the smell of smoke in the crisp beach air.
As much as I try to live in the moment, it’s nice to reflect on the warmth, love, and friendship I experienced growing up.
Sometimes it’s good to visit the past.

Early To Rise

When you wake up early you have more time in your day...
To work?
The hustle is real.
#EntertainmentIndustry

Road Block:

I don’t have time for this shit.
It’s moments like this that make me wish I had a “Force Quit” button when dealing with dumbasses.

Loyalty

I've noticed that the people who promise you the world;
Are usually the ones wearing a suit they've borrowed from a friend.
#PutYourMoneyWhereYourMouthIs

Note To Self

If you think you don't have enough time in the day, consider this:
For every minute you waste worrying about not having enough time––you've lost an opportunity to take action.

Travel Day

Waiting at the gate like vultures;
Everyone wants to be in the first boarding group.
I blame roller bags.

Technology Meltdown

Rage;
Connecting my iPhone to my Mac––they are made by the same company correct?
I don’t understand why syncing in the 21st century is still an issue.
Seriously, i HATE that track wheel!

I Need A Break...

Donuts. The Grove. Matinee. Spa retreat;
In the middle of a work week?
Yes, a calm break in chaos is necessary:
Balance.

Good Day LA.

Imagine waking up to the calming sound of a leaf blower;
Nothing sparks creativity or motivation to get out of the house and go to Starbucks, more than your neighbors gardener.

Gratitude

I feel blessed knowing that I can follow my dreams beside a person I love;
I realize how fortunate I am to be able to wake up each day and pursue a career that I’m still passionate about; through hard work, Faith, and the support of my family and friends––I continue to journey closer to the peak.
Not everyone has the opportunity that I’ve had.
I am grateful.

Time Check

There’s only twenty-four hours in a day;
I can not squeeze another meeting into the day––I am available at 3AM though!
Life is short. #UseItOrLoseIt

Sunday Funday!

I haven’t been this excited to go to the mall since I had acne on my face;
I travel so much for work, I usually miss all of the weekend fun with friends.
Today, I get to enjoy an adult play-date.
Brunch and a movie with friends.
Balance––finding time for the simple things in life.

Confidence

A confident person walks into a room with vibrance and an open mind;
A cocky person walks into a room and drains it of all its creative energy.

Goals into Gold

Setting goals is the key to reaching dreams;
But if you don’t enjoy the journey––it can be a nightmare.

A Trip To The Huntington Library

Waves from the Zen rock garden carry tranquility,
Encouragement jumps from original manuscripts by Chaucer,
Passion smeared across canvas,
Beauty in every direction; history sounds me.
The water fountains provide a baptism for inspiration.

Missed Opportunity?

How did I miss a day in October?
The month was calm for the most part.
I guess I was busy dreaming.
#MakeUpPost