I just got home from a 13-hour rehearsal for my current show opening on Wednesday this week. I finally feel refreshed after a long shower to wash off the layers of sweat and dirt accumulated over those 13 hours. As this is a fringe show and low-budget everyone has to pitch in a hand in all departments, you can't be JUST an actor. So this morning I cut out light gels and inserted them in the stage lights, painted a railing, and other various tasks. Then we got into the dress rehearsal and I realized how physically demanding this show is. I'm never off stage for more than 3 minutes and when I'm on stage I'm either singing, puppeteering, being a piece of furniture(all the furniture is actor's bodies), dancing, or some combination of the like. We all sweat A LOT and I have a collection of different bruises from rehearsals.
However, every time I took a minute to think about that fact that I was in New York City creating and performing in an original musical, surrounded by talented artists of all forms, I was in awe and made sure to soak in the moment. I realized there was nothing in the world I'd rather be doing at the moment and I will always feel at home in the theatre. I guess this truly is what I'm meant to do with my life, no doubt about it.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Hot and Sticky
Well it is officially summer in NYC which means I am officially a sweaty mess everyday. Humidity and I do not seem to get along and I seem to be on the losing side of the battle. Not only does Seattle not get as hot as New York, but it has absolutely zero humidity. On top of that, in Seattle I didn’t have to walk around carrying a giant bag of stuff with me everywhere I went!
Summer has only just begun and I’m already melting into a puddle. Even if I’m wearing a skirt and tank top (least amount of clothing possible), I feel as if the moment I step outside I am a dripping sweaty mess! So on days when I am running to the subway, which is most days, I look as if I just did an hour of jumping jacks in a sauna. At last, I step into an air conditioned subway car only to look around and see people wearing more clothing than me and not a single drop of sweat in sight. I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong, how do I get myself an inner-cooling device to permanently implant during the summer months? Ideas are welcome!
Summer has only just begun and I’m already melting into a puddle. Even if I’m wearing a skirt and tank top (least amount of clothing possible), I feel as if the moment I step outside I am a dripping sweaty mess! So on days when I am running to the subway, which is most days, I look as if I just did an hour of jumping jacks in a sauna. At last, I step into an air conditioned subway car only to look around and see people wearing more clothing than me and not a single drop of sweat in sight. I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong, how do I get myself an inner-cooling device to permanently implant during the summer months? Ideas are welcome!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
"I am 25 Going on 15"
If you are reading this … Thank you! I apologize that I have lost track of my blog writing and have taken much too long to write since my last entry. This blog idea has been formulated in my head for some time now as it correlates with the show I just closed two weekends ago, The Children’s Hour because I was playing a 12-14 year old girl (as described in the character description). I wanted to use this blog entry to talk about how its so interesting to be a 25 year old, college degree recipient, married woman and playing a young teenager. Last week, I had an audition experience that solidified for me the fact that I truly am seen on stage as 10 years younger than my actual age.
I was submitted by a casting director for a role of a 15 year old girl. The director emailed me back saying he thought I may read too old for the role but he would still like me to audition and also read for the part of the young mom! Eek! Have a rapidly aged in the past few weeks?!?! I show up for the audition with my minimal make-up to emphasize my youthfulness and the director has me read the 15 year old’s scene. I finish and he says he should learn to trust casting directors because I definitely type as advertised (as a teenager). Phew!
Being myself in the “real world” I always run into the same pattern of conversation as people find out my age. Usually someone notices my ring and/or I mention “my husband” in conversation. This is followed by the following exchange:
Stranger: You’re married?
Me: Yes.
Stranger: How long have you been married?
Me: Three years.
Stranger: How old are you?!?
Me: 25.
Stranger: (some disbelief response ending in mentioning how young I look).
Give or take a few words, this is the exact conversation I have whenever I meet someone new and the topic of marriage/age/etc. arises. It used to bother me at first but now I just think its funny and I’ve come to expect it. Of course, Mike thinks its funny to tell his friends his wife can play a fourteen year old on stage …
I hope to start writing shorter, more frequent updates to this blog so please fill out the survey on the right side to help me know how frequently people will read it. Thanks!
I was submitted by a casting director for a role of a 15 year old girl. The director emailed me back saying he thought I may read too old for the role but he would still like me to audition and also read for the part of the young mom! Eek! Have a rapidly aged in the past few weeks?!?! I show up for the audition with my minimal make-up to emphasize my youthfulness and the director has me read the 15 year old’s scene. I finish and he says he should learn to trust casting directors because I definitely type as advertised (as a teenager). Phew!
Being myself in the “real world” I always run into the same pattern of conversation as people find out my age. Usually someone notices my ring and/or I mention “my husband” in conversation. This is followed by the following exchange:
Stranger: You’re married?
Me: Yes.
Stranger: How long have you been married?
Me: Three years.
Stranger: How old are you?!?
Me: 25.
Stranger: (some disbelief response ending in mentioning how young I look).
Give or take a few words, this is the exact conversation I have whenever I meet someone new and the topic of marriage/age/etc. arises. It used to bother me at first but now I just think its funny and I’ve come to expect it. Of course, Mike thinks its funny to tell his friends his wife can play a fourteen year old on stage …
I hope to start writing shorter, more frequent updates to this blog so please fill out the survey on the right side to help me know how frequently people will read it. Thanks!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
"Wonderland" Accepted to the 2009 Ice Factory Festival!
The new musical "Wonderland" I work-shopped last month with Anonymous Ensemble has just been accepted to perform in the Ice Factory Festival this summer at the Ohio Theatre in SoHo. I am very excited to continue to be a part of creating and developing this great piece of work! We will be performing the first weekend of the festival July 8-12.
More details to come soon! In the meantime check out this great article about the Ice Factory Festival from last summer: Variety Article
More details to come soon! In the meantime check out this great article about the Ice Factory Festival from last summer: Variety Article
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Help Me Pick New Headshots!
Hey Everyone,
I'd love to get your feedback on my new headshots. Unless Mike shows me how to put them on the blog, the easiest way to see them is to sign in to Facebook and view my headshot album there: HEADSHOTS
These are completely raw, un-retouched shot so please forgive minor imperfections, they will be photoshopped out. My allergies were having issue that week so my eyes are extra squinty in some of the shots. I find it helps to gently squint when looking at the photos to see how it will look once fixed up. Ultimately I will be choosing one smiling with teeth showing, one with mouth closed, and one that shows more of my body.
Thanks for any input you have!!!
PS I had my first rehearsal for The Children's Hour tonight and I have to say, it was AMAZING! I haven't felt this professional in a production in a very long time and I am beyond excited to be in this cast! More to come soon ... I promise!
I'd love to get your feedback on my new headshots. Unless Mike shows me how to put them on the blog, the easiest way to see them is to sign in to Facebook and view my headshot album there: HEADSHOTS
These are completely raw, un-retouched shot so please forgive minor imperfections, they will be photoshopped out. My allergies were having issue that week so my eyes are extra squinty in some of the shots. I find it helps to gently squint when looking at the photos to see how it will look once fixed up. Ultimately I will be choosing one smiling with teeth showing, one with mouth closed, and one that shows more of my body.
Thanks for any input you have!!!
PS I had my first rehearsal for The Children's Hour tonight and I have to say, it was AMAZING! I haven't felt this professional in a production in a very long time and I am beyond excited to be in this cast! More to come soon ... I promise!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Press Release for "The Children's Hour"
My current show...
The insidious power of a lie takes center stage at the Wright-Dobie School for Girls in Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour. When a student perceives she is being treated unfairly by the headmasters, she fabricates a malicious lie about them. Fearful that their children will be inappropriately influenced, parents begin to withdraw their children from the school. The controversy pushes relationships to the brink, tests assumptions, and challenges preconceived notions of the truth. MAY 21 – JUNE 7, 2009 AT THE GOOD SHEPHERD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Check out the theatre's website at: http://www.apacny.org/
Also, if you haven't already viewed my current appearance on College Humor check it out at: http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1904510
It is currently the second most liked and second most viewed video on the site, so keep forwarding to friends and click the "I Like" button to keep it going!
Thanks so much!!!
The insidious power of a lie takes center stage at the Wright-Dobie School for Girls in Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour. When a student perceives she is being treated unfairly by the headmasters, she fabricates a malicious lie about them. Fearful that their children will be inappropriately influenced, parents begin to withdraw their children from the school. The controversy pushes relationships to the brink, tests assumptions, and challenges preconceived notions of the truth. MAY 21 – JUNE 7, 2009 AT THE GOOD SHEPHERD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Check out the theatre's website at: http://www.apacny.org/
Also, if you haven't already viewed my current appearance on College Humor check it out at: http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1904510
It is currently the second most liked and second most viewed video on the site, so keep forwarding to friends and click the "I Like" button to keep it going!
Thanks so much!!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Performing and Driving
Well after being told my last bit of entries were “boring” because all they did were alert you to possible sightings of me on TV, I’m going to try and get back to talking about my life here in the big apple. Lots has been happening and I daily think, “ooh, this would make a really great blog story!” Unfortunately, the times I find myself at my computer I either am doing work, submitting to auditions, or spacing out on Facebook. So, here is my attempt at more daily-life stories…
A few Sundays ago was the first showing of this new musical I am working on that is composed by my voice teacher’s son. It’s been a great experience, I’ve met some amazingly talented people. It has been the first time since moving here that I feel like I am a part of quality theatre. Everything has been very collaborative in the process and its felt great to reactive my creative juices. That week I had one evening off from rehearsal and there were auditions out in Astoria, Queens for a play with several roles for girls who looked 14-16 years old. Figuring I should be productive, I made my way up to Astoria (a little over an hour commute from my apartment in Brooklyn) and arrived at the open call when it was scheduled to begin. Unfortunately tons of other actors had already beaten me there and they were already on page three of the non-equity list! So I sat in a cold church basement for three hours to finally have my turn to walk into a small room, perform my one minute monologue, and make my way back home – oh yes, and it was pouring rain and I didn’t have an umbrella.
A week later, I was very pleasantly surprised to get a call from the casting director asking me to come to callbacks. I felt I had done well but the director just said “thank you” when I finished so I had no indication of what she thought. The bad news was that the callback was at 8:30 on Wednesday that week, and I had rehearsal for Wonderland from 7-10. Not wanting to turn down a callback, I beg my neighbor to let me borrow his car, ask the casting director if I can get there at 9:00 instead, and tell my Wonderland director that I have to leave early that night. I have not driven a car yet in the state of New York, my neighbor’s car is a very small two-door which I never prefer driving, and my license … well its semi-expired (long story)… A lot of factors were making this experience a bit stressful, oh yes, and it was pouring rain once again.
Luckily, I’ve always been an aggressive driver and don’t get rattled by over-stimulation when driving. The hardest parts of the drive were getting through downtown Brooklyn and having to be aware of constantly changing traffic, parked cars, pedestrians, and following driving directions from my iPhone. I thought it would get easier once I made it to the highway but the painted lines to show the different lanes were nearly impossible to see at night and in the pouring rain. Also, I couldn’t find any speed limit signs and found that the traffic around me was either zipping by at high speeds or were slow moving semi-trucks. I finally made it white-knuckling the steering wheel and found parking right across from the callback location. I am there about an hour and read a scene with three other girls twice and then head back on the road.
Giving up my one day off to sit at the open call, missing part of a rehearsal and driving in the rain all seemed to have paid off because this past Monday I received a call offering me a role in the show! Hurray! Although I don’t have a large part I realized because the show is an Equity-Showcase Production Contract, it will be my first show in NY working with Equity actors! Also, I am super excited about the director as she received her MFA from Yale and has recently won several directing awards. Its a great feeling to look back and see that each show I am cast in since moving here is one step above the next, slowly but surely I am climbing the crazy ladder to NY acting success! In addition, the workshop production of Wonderland went really well and the director is hoping to produce a full-scale production this summer at the Ice Factory New Works Festival in Soho.
I promise to do my best to have another entry soon … thanks for reading!
A few Sundays ago was the first showing of this new musical I am working on that is composed by my voice teacher’s son. It’s been a great experience, I’ve met some amazingly talented people. It has been the first time since moving here that I feel like I am a part of quality theatre. Everything has been very collaborative in the process and its felt great to reactive my creative juices. That week I had one evening off from rehearsal and there were auditions out in Astoria, Queens for a play with several roles for girls who looked 14-16 years old. Figuring I should be productive, I made my way up to Astoria (a little over an hour commute from my apartment in Brooklyn) and arrived at the open call when it was scheduled to begin. Unfortunately tons of other actors had already beaten me there and they were already on page three of the non-equity list! So I sat in a cold church basement for three hours to finally have my turn to walk into a small room, perform my one minute monologue, and make my way back home – oh yes, and it was pouring rain and I didn’t have an umbrella.
A week later, I was very pleasantly surprised to get a call from the casting director asking me to come to callbacks. I felt I had done well but the director just said “thank you” when I finished so I had no indication of what she thought. The bad news was that the callback was at 8:30 on Wednesday that week, and I had rehearsal for Wonderland from 7-10. Not wanting to turn down a callback, I beg my neighbor to let me borrow his car, ask the casting director if I can get there at 9:00 instead, and tell my Wonderland director that I have to leave early that night. I have not driven a car yet in the state of New York, my neighbor’s car is a very small two-door which I never prefer driving, and my license … well its semi-expired (long story)… A lot of factors were making this experience a bit stressful, oh yes, and it was pouring rain once again.
Luckily, I’ve always been an aggressive driver and don’t get rattled by over-stimulation when driving. The hardest parts of the drive were getting through downtown Brooklyn and having to be aware of constantly changing traffic, parked cars, pedestrians, and following driving directions from my iPhone. I thought it would get easier once I made it to the highway but the painted lines to show the different lanes were nearly impossible to see at night and in the pouring rain. Also, I couldn’t find any speed limit signs and found that the traffic around me was either zipping by at high speeds or were slow moving semi-trucks. I finally made it white-knuckling the steering wheel and found parking right across from the callback location. I am there about an hour and read a scene with three other girls twice and then head back on the road.
Giving up my one day off to sit at the open call, missing part of a rehearsal and driving in the rain all seemed to have paid off because this past Monday I received a call offering me a role in the show! Hurray! Although I don’t have a large part I realized because the show is an Equity-Showcase Production Contract, it will be my first show in NY working with Equity actors! Also, I am super excited about the director as she received her MFA from Yale and has recently won several directing awards. Its a great feeling to look back and see that each show I am cast in since moving here is one step above the next, slowly but surely I am climbing the crazy ladder to NY acting success! In addition, the workshop production of Wonderland went really well and the director is hoping to produce a full-scale production this summer at the Ice Factory New Works Festival in Soho.
I promise to do my best to have another entry soon … thanks for reading!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Elisa’s Upcoming TV Background Work
Hello!
I know its been a little while but I’ve been busy focusing on theatre and doing select TV background work jobs. But quite a few shows are airing in the next few weeks that I worked on so I wanted to send out a schedule and brief descriptions on how to find me. I also really, really want to start writing more blogs more frequently and not just about my upcoming background work. I feel like everyday in this big city is its own adventure and I should be sharing my crazy stories with all my faithful readers (if there's any left besides my mom)! So stay tuned and become a "follower" of this blog to get updates on when I've posted.
Wednesday March 25th at 10:00pm
Life on Mars – Episode# 116
I am at the toy launch party being held in a warehouse. I am in a bright lavender colored long-sleeved dress and my hair is down and straight. I took a picture of myself in costume this time and have put it at the end of this entry.
When the scene starts and the main characters enter the bar, I am near them when they spot the bartender and possibly close to the camera when Sam starts punching the bartender. Later in the scene when the big mob guy comes up behind Sam, I am back-to-back with the mob guy before he turns and walks Sam out of the building.
Monday March 30th at 8:00pm
Gossip Girl – Episode# 220
The Gossip Girl kids hold a party at Serena’s apartment and the students gets a little crazy. There is a crowd of eager-to-party kids trying to get in the big glass doors that have been locked by the doorman; I am one of those kids. There are two sets of double doors, behind the first set is a group of about 10 kids and behind the second set of doors is a much larger mob. I am in right behind the first set in the center. I am wearing an off-white, cream colored coat and a bright teal scarf. My hair is down and pulled back off my face.
Tuesday March 31st at 10:00pm
Cupid – Pilot Episode
The clip I thought I would be able to see myself for this episode is in the previews and I’m one person too far to the left to be seen. I’m hoping that in the show I will be seen. When the character Cupid is standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street he is surrounded by a large group of people. I am to the screen left side in a beige jacket and dark teal scarf. The light turns and we all walk towards the camera to cross the street.
Also, in the same episode, Cupid is standing on a street corner with the main girl who is wearing a green dress. They stop at a hot dog vendor and I walk by while they are talking - I have no idea if I will be see at all in those shots, but it’s worth a look!
That’s it for now! Law and Order Criminal Intent premieres mid-April so I will let you know where to look for me in that when we get a little closer to the air date. This episode will be from a day that I filmed back in September but the season had a delayed start. Some exciting news is I’ve recently been called in for several projects with College Humor and even landed a speaking role for one of their online clips! I filmed last Friday so the clip should be up in the next few weeks. I will send a link when I see that it is up on their website.
Let me know if you have any questions! Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to Spring!
I know its been a little while but I’ve been busy focusing on theatre and doing select TV background work jobs. But quite a few shows are airing in the next few weeks that I worked on so I wanted to send out a schedule and brief descriptions on how to find me. I also really, really want to start writing more blogs more frequently and not just about my upcoming background work. I feel like everyday in this big city is its own adventure and I should be sharing my crazy stories with all my faithful readers (if there's any left besides my mom)! So stay tuned and become a "follower" of this blog to get updates on when I've posted.
Wednesday March 25th at 10:00pm
Life on Mars – Episode# 116
I am at the toy launch party being held in a warehouse. I am in a bright lavender colored long-sleeved dress and my hair is down and straight. I took a picture of myself in costume this time and have put it at the end of this entry.
When the scene starts and the main characters enter the bar, I am near them when they spot the bartender and possibly close to the camera when Sam starts punching the bartender. Later in the scene when the big mob guy comes up behind Sam, I am back-to-back with the mob guy before he turns and walks Sam out of the building.
Monday March 30th at 8:00pm
Gossip Girl – Episode# 220
The Gossip Girl kids hold a party at Serena’s apartment and the students gets a little crazy. There is a crowd of eager-to-party kids trying to get in the big glass doors that have been locked by the doorman; I am one of those kids. There are two sets of double doors, behind the first set is a group of about 10 kids and behind the second set of doors is a much larger mob. I am in right behind the first set in the center. I am wearing an off-white, cream colored coat and a bright teal scarf. My hair is down and pulled back off my face.
Tuesday March 31st at 10:00pm
Cupid – Pilot Episode
The clip I thought I would be able to see myself for this episode is in the previews and I’m one person too far to the left to be seen. I’m hoping that in the show I will be seen. When the character Cupid is standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street he is surrounded by a large group of people. I am to the screen left side in a beige jacket and dark teal scarf. The light turns and we all walk towards the camera to cross the street.
Also, in the same episode, Cupid is standing on a street corner with the main girl who is wearing a green dress. They stop at a hot dog vendor and I walk by while they are talking - I have no idea if I will be see at all in those shots, but it’s worth a look!
That’s it for now! Law and Order Criminal Intent premieres mid-April so I will let you know where to look for me in that when we get a little closer to the air date. This episode will be from a day that I filmed back in September but the season had a delayed start. Some exciting news is I’ve recently been called in for several projects with College Humor and even landed a speaking role for one of their online clips! I filmed last Friday so the clip should be up in the next few weeks. I will send a link when I see that it is up on their website.
Let me know if you have any questions! Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to Spring!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Little Things
In New York, most subways stay underground. Thus, cellphones have no signal. However, to get to our apartment, the "F" train comes out from underground for two full stops. After a long, hard day, there is nothing better. Why? Well, because someone on the train is bound to find this 5 minutes as the perfect opportunity to pull out their cell phone and make a loud, annoying, call.
Of course they don't talk quietly. Rather, these inconsiderate others scream their life story. The silence of the subway has been taken over by a fiery red haired, overweight, middle aged secretary gabbing to her her friend about why her boss hates her shoes. This part of my story is entirely annoying. I, however, wait with glee. Why?
Well, soon enough, the subway will dive back into the depths of the New York underbelly and completely cut off cell phone signal again. As we go under, my new cell phone friend screams over and over, "I'LL CALL YOU BACK!! HELLO!!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! I'M GOING UNDER!... (mutter mutter mutter)." I want to tell my new friend that screaming does not effect the signal strength and that the signal was lost 15 seconds ago. Nahhhh.
A small grin wraps across my face as I return to reading. The subway is once again quite.
This story happens at least once a week. And I. Love. It.
(picture from: http://blog.roadandtravel.com)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Inauguration - Part II
I know this is old news by now, but I figured, better late than never!
So we had our location and now it was time for the loooong wait in the cooooold weather. We had read online that they were not allowing blankets into Inauguration, but we realized once we were there, they only meant in the ticketed areas. The general public didn’t even have to go through security. So, blanket-less everyone in our group tries to make themselves comfortable on the hard and very cold ground. I attempted to lay down the newspaper I had grabbed at the Metro Station to avoid laying in the dirt/straw that was covering the floor. After lying down for maybe five minutes and feeling the cold from the ground seep through my layers of clothing and staring, wide awake up at the dark night sky, I decided I was better off standing. So I stand, jump around, stare at the crowd, and watch the sun come up to keep my mind off how cold it is. The time between 6am-8am is really a blur, it was still dark out and we were bored but too cold to do anything but huddle together for warmth. Eventually the sun began to rise and at 9:00 they turned on the big screens and replayed the events from the day before that took place at the Lincoln Memorial.
Joel and I seemed to be the ones in our group that had the smallest bladders and we had been strategizing on when and where to take our bathroom breaks. Port-a-potties lined both sides of the Mall, but the map we had showed that there were going to be restrooms available inside the Museum, which luckily was directly to our right. Around 9:00 we decided it had been long enough since our last bathroom break but soon enough that we wouldn’t get stuck in a huge line and miss all the events starting at 10:00. We worked our way through the very thick crowd doing our best not to step on any of the people still lying on the ground. We get up to the museum entrance only to find out it won’t be open until 10:00! Not wanting to wait and risk miss seeing Obama’s entrance we settle for the port-a-potties which had only a five minute wait. On our way back we notice the souvenir booths and decide this is probably the best time to wait in line. We buy a bunch of buttons and are then on our way back through the crowd using the landmarks surrounding the Mall to find our group in the sea of bodies.
A little while later Mike and I realized our toes were getting quite cold and not having planned this adventure in advance, we hadn’t bought the toe warmer packs. So back through the crowd we wiggled to the souvenir booths in search of warmth. We see the long line to the souvenir booth that is selling the hand and feet warmers and decide we have nothing better to do and the warmth will be worth the wait. We took turns standing in line while the other person walked around to check out the different booths and crowds. They had set up ‘warming stations’ which were essentially a giant generator-looking thing with a 3-sided tarp around it that people huddled in to get warm. The swarm of cold bodies struggling to get close to the heat made me laugh and I decided walking around was accomplishing the same task just as easily. The booth is sold out of toe warmers so we settle with the hand warmers and quickly put them in the inner-layer of our socks. And once again, I begin the journey back through the sea of people to our spot.
It was finally nearing the start to the ceremony. The arrivals began, the large screens were now broadcasting what was happening just a few hundred feet in front of us, and it couldn’t have started soon enough. Personally, I was a bit bored during all the announcements and arrivals … senators…important political people … celebrities … I just wanted them to hurry up and announce Obama! After what felt like forever, the important people of the day arrived! The sound of the crowd cheering, everyone waving their American flags, and the collective positive spirit that filled the air is something I will never forget and cannot be justified in words.
You have all seen the inauguration ceremony, or at least portions of it on television. It feels so surreal to think back to those moments. We were all so tired and so cold but we were all there because we believed in the change that we were witnessing. I teared up several times during Obama’s speech. I found it immensely powerful to look around at the older generation of African Americans standing beside me and wonder what their life experiences have been and what this moment meant to them. Never will I forget the sense of pride I had in my country at that moment.
The ceremony was ending, Obama was president (oath slip-up and all) and it was time for us to begin our journey home. A water main had broken that morning and shut down a few of the key streets open for inauguration attendees to exit the Mall. Deciding we were better off completely avoiding the parade route, we made our exit up and around the capital building. I have attached a map to this blog tracking our movements for the day. After literally being carried along by the crowd the five us manage to make it out to the street in one piece and begin another long walk back to the Metro. The entrance to the Metro is swamped by a large un-moving crowd. We realize the police are only letting certain amounts of people into the station at a time in order to prevent overcrowding on the subway platforms. Eventually it is our turn and we push our way onto the crowded subway car and head back to Bethesda where the car is parked. In Bethesda we revive our bodies with some Chipotle followed by coffee and are on the road back to NYC. We arrive back on our street at 8:30pm that night, exactly 24 hours since we left the day before. Were we tired? Absolutely. Were we stiff from standing in the cold? You bet? Were we happy to be home? Of course. Would we do it all over again? Without a doubt!
INAUGURATION MAP
Blue Line = walking route we took into inauguration
Pink Line = walking route we took out of inauguration
So we had our location and now it was time for the loooong wait in the cooooold weather. We had read online that they were not allowing blankets into Inauguration, but we realized once we were there, they only meant in the ticketed areas. The general public didn’t even have to go through security. So, blanket-less everyone in our group tries to make themselves comfortable on the hard and very cold ground. I attempted to lay down the newspaper I had grabbed at the Metro Station to avoid laying in the dirt/straw that was covering the floor. After lying down for maybe five minutes and feeling the cold from the ground seep through my layers of clothing and staring, wide awake up at the dark night sky, I decided I was better off standing. So I stand, jump around, stare at the crowd, and watch the sun come up to keep my mind off how cold it is. The time between 6am-8am is really a blur, it was still dark out and we were bored but too cold to do anything but huddle together for warmth. Eventually the sun began to rise and at 9:00 they turned on the big screens and replayed the events from the day before that took place at the Lincoln Memorial.
Joel and I seemed to be the ones in our group that had the smallest bladders and we had been strategizing on when and where to take our bathroom breaks. Port-a-potties lined both sides of the Mall, but the map we had showed that there were going to be restrooms available inside the Museum, which luckily was directly to our right. Around 9:00 we decided it had been long enough since our last bathroom break but soon enough that we wouldn’t get stuck in a huge line and miss all the events starting at 10:00. We worked our way through the very thick crowd doing our best not to step on any of the people still lying on the ground. We get up to the museum entrance only to find out it won’t be open until 10:00! Not wanting to wait and risk miss seeing Obama’s entrance we settle for the port-a-potties which had only a five minute wait. On our way back we notice the souvenir booths and decide this is probably the best time to wait in line. We buy a bunch of buttons and are then on our way back through the crowd using the landmarks surrounding the Mall to find our group in the sea of bodies.
A little while later Mike and I realized our toes were getting quite cold and not having planned this adventure in advance, we hadn’t bought the toe warmer packs. So back through the crowd we wiggled to the souvenir booths in search of warmth. We see the long line to the souvenir booth that is selling the hand and feet warmers and decide we have nothing better to do and the warmth will be worth the wait. We took turns standing in line while the other person walked around to check out the different booths and crowds. They had set up ‘warming stations’ which were essentially a giant generator-looking thing with a 3-sided tarp around it that people huddled in to get warm. The swarm of cold bodies struggling to get close to the heat made me laugh and I decided walking around was accomplishing the same task just as easily. The booth is sold out of toe warmers so we settle with the hand warmers and quickly put them in the inner-layer of our socks. And once again, I begin the journey back through the sea of people to our spot.
It was finally nearing the start to the ceremony. The arrivals began, the large screens were now broadcasting what was happening just a few hundred feet in front of us, and it couldn’t have started soon enough. Personally, I was a bit bored during all the announcements and arrivals … senators…important political people … celebrities … I just wanted them to hurry up and announce Obama! After what felt like forever, the important people of the day arrived! The sound of the crowd cheering, everyone waving their American flags, and the collective positive spirit that filled the air is something I will never forget and cannot be justified in words.
You have all seen the inauguration ceremony, or at least portions of it on television. It feels so surreal to think back to those moments. We were all so tired and so cold but we were all there because we believed in the change that we were witnessing. I teared up several times during Obama’s speech. I found it immensely powerful to look around at the older generation of African Americans standing beside me and wonder what their life experiences have been and what this moment meant to them. Never will I forget the sense of pride I had in my country at that moment.
The ceremony was ending, Obama was president (oath slip-up and all) and it was time for us to begin our journey home. A water main had broken that morning and shut down a few of the key streets open for inauguration attendees to exit the Mall. Deciding we were better off completely avoiding the parade route, we made our exit up and around the capital building. I have attached a map to this blog tracking our movements for the day. After literally being carried along by the crowd the five us manage to make it out to the street in one piece and begin another long walk back to the Metro. The entrance to the Metro is swamped by a large un-moving crowd. We realize the police are only letting certain amounts of people into the station at a time in order to prevent overcrowding on the subway platforms. Eventually it is our turn and we push our way onto the crowded subway car and head back to Bethesda where the car is parked. In Bethesda we revive our bodies with some Chipotle followed by coffee and are on the road back to NYC. We arrive back on our street at 8:30pm that night, exactly 24 hours since we left the day before. Were we tired? Absolutely. Were we stiff from standing in the cold? You bet? Were we happy to be home? Of course. Would we do it all over again? Without a doubt!
INAUGURATION MAP
Blue Line = walking route we took into inauguration
Pink Line = walking route we took out of inauguration
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Proud of My Country and Proud of Myself
For those of you who have been patiently waiting an update to how my Nanny Diaries adventure ended, have no fear, I will get around to writing about it soon. BUT, I have something a bit more exciting to share at the moment and its going to be a long one…
It was Monday night, January 19th and Mike and I had been discussing possible places to watch the Inauguration on Tuesday. We had decided Times Square would probably be the most exciting, after actually going to DC of course. We were mad at ourselves for not going into Times Square the night the election results were announced and we promised ourselves we would go somewhere for Inauguration to share in the excitement. The more I was thinking about it, the more I wished we had found a way to go to DC, but I had thought that if you didn’t have a ticket you couldn’t even get close. I sit down on my computer and start googling Inauguration info, I eventually stumble upon a map of DC showing where people can and can’t go for the ceremony and parade. Whoa, I had no idea that the general public could go onto the National Mall! Hmmm… the wheels in my head start turning and I start to feel spontaneous. Many of you know, I am not the greatest at being spontaneous; actually I’m terrible at it. I am a planner, I like to have things fully thought out and prepared well ahead of time. But this was going to be an incredible moment in history and I feel like I’m so close to the action, why not go and be a part of it.
It is 5:00pm. I start searching to see if there are any bus or train tickets left for DC that leave late that night or early in the morning. Everything is sold out or really expensive. Mike comes over to my computer and can tell that I’m up to something, then he notices the DC map I’m looking at. I tell him I just really wish we would have planned to go to DC and I was trying to find a last minute way to get down there.
Mike: Too bad we don’t have a car, or could borrow Becky and Joe’s. (Our friends who live upstairs)
Elisa: But they’re already going to Inauguration, remember?
Mike: I wonder if they’ve left yet…
We hear footsteps upstairs Mike and Elisa look at each other mischievously.
Elisa: Yes, but they are going with their friend Joel, we don’t even know if they have room in their car.
Mike: Let’s go ask!
Mike, Elisa, and Zoka walk upstairs and knock on the door, Becky answers.
Mike: Hey Becky, what are you up to?
Becky: Our friend Joel is here and we’re just getting our stuff ready to go down to DC for Inauguration…
Elisa and Mike exchange another mischievous glance.
Becky: … do you guys wanna come?
Mike and Elisa look at each other and smile, excited squeals come from Elisa and Becky. The time is 5:45pm.
So that is how it happened. The next few hours are spent frantically planning, packing, calling our dog sitter friends to take Zoka for the night, and calling and begging my wonderful cousin Sandra who lives in the DC area to let us crash at her place. Sandra (and Russ) graciously say that we can get to their house late that night and crash for a few hours before taking the Subway into DC.
At 8:30pm we are crammed into Becky and Joe’s two-door car with bags of warm clothes and food. We are on our way! We arrive in Bethesda (a suburb outside of DC) where Sandra lives around 1am. We park at the parking garage next to the Metro station and then have a ten minute walk to Sandra’s house. A sleepy looking Russ and Sandra greet us and show us to our beds, we give them bottles of wine to thank them for their last minute generosity. We finally get to sleep around 1:30ish with the plan to wake up at 3:15. The metro starts running at 4am and we want to be on the first train to make sure we can get as close to Obama as possible.
On just over an hour of sleep, we wake up, pile on layers and layers of clothes, and head out of Sandra’s house by 3:30am. For the record, I am wearing two pairs of socks, snow boots, long underwear under my jeans under my sweat pants, 6 shirts/sweatshirts, a down jacket, scarf, earmuffs, hat, hood, and gloves.
We walk to the Metro station and find it already crowded with other crazy Obama fans. We catch the first train into the city and are lucky enough to be the last stop to get seats on the train. On the 20 minute ride into DC we are grateful to have an opportunity to rest our legs as the train becomes a sardine can. We get off on the stop as close to the area we believe to be the entrance we can use to get into the Mall. Its around 4:30 in the morning as we start to wander the streets of DC navigating amongst the already crowding streets, police, and blocked streets. None of the maps we had printed off the internet or the ones we grabbed out of the paper that morning were very helpful in helping us determine the best entry point onto the Mall for those of us who did not have a ticket. I felt like a rat in a maze as we continually were being told by police that we couldn’t go down the streets leading to the National Mall. After over a mile of walking we had made our way all the way south of the Mall and found an entry near the Washington Monument.
There are already streams of people walking towards the Mall and the Capital Building. We have no way to know how full it is at this point but just starting walking towards the Capital to see how close we get. It is about 5:30am at this point and we are still walking, the Capital Building is getting closer and closer! We finally come to a point where the crowd has stopped and people are staking out their patch of dirt. It is just before 6am, five hours to go until the excitement starts, now we just wait and attempt to stay warm.
More coming soon … Mike may finish the second half of the blog … pictures coming soon too!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Mike’s peanut thoughts on a plane.
When did the airline industries get so bad that they could no longer afford the honey in their honey roasted peanuts? Even crazier, when did Delta “discontinue” ginger ale. The poor ginger root’s entire market share was destroyed with the stoke of an airline executive’s pen. How many other mainstream items come with ginger root?
Upon inquiring further, my flight attendant “Jane” stated that Delta is getting back the airline’s staple root drink in May. Which only leads me to think about how it takes just shy of five months to get pop back on a plane.
So I sit on my flight with water and my two bags of peanuts.
Jane, however, has my back. A few moments later, she comes back and says, “here, drink this and tell me what you think.” It looks like ginger ale, smells like ginger ale, tastes like ginger ale… “Thanks!” I say with my ginger needs fulfilled. “It’s not ginger ale…” Jane leans in a bit to overcome the constant hum of the plane’s engines, “… it’s Sprite with a little Coke.” To my surprise… it really tastes the same.
“Now, what about a secret recipe for getting my peanuts honey roasted?” I respond. Jane smiled a bit, said she’s got nothing, and left. The previous statement came out without even a slight innuendo... I swear… or rather hope.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Happy New Year from an Alternate Universe
Thank you all for coming to read my blog, I apologize the entries have been far apart lately. This is just a short entry to say that I have not forgotten about my blog, in fact many times throughout the day I write parts of my blog in my head, although they don't necessarily make it to the page.
It is hard to remember the last time my NYC life felt "normal," meaning I was mainly only working one job and taking classes. Twelve hours after returning home from a nice but short trip to Seattle for Christmas, I was back to babysitting the Saudi Arabian children. They are here for another week (at the minimum) and I am now with them every single day (before I was alternating with another girl). At 6-7 hours a day, seven days a week, plus my 20hrs per week online job, plus trying to fight a sinus infection, I have found very little time for anything else.
I promise to write lots of stories of my crazy babysitting adventures as soon as I get back to regular life ... which is hopefully soon...
Till then, enjoy the start to a new year!
It is hard to remember the last time my NYC life felt "normal," meaning I was mainly only working one job and taking classes. Twelve hours after returning home from a nice but short trip to Seattle for Christmas, I was back to babysitting the Saudi Arabian children. They are here for another week (at the minimum) and I am now with them every single day (before I was alternating with another girl). At 6-7 hours a day, seven days a week, plus my 20hrs per week online job, plus trying to fight a sinus infection, I have found very little time for anything else.
I promise to write lots of stories of my crazy babysitting adventures as soon as I get back to regular life ... which is hopefully soon...
Till then, enjoy the start to a new year!
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