Hey there folks,
So this is my second post on this strange thing called a blog and I'm very proud with the fact that I'm even writing this right now. It was tough. There were moments when I wanted to quite, but quitting after a single post is kind of sad, so I decided to wait until after I've posted a few more...then I'll quit. Hahahaha.
I've been in NY for almost two weeks and let me tell you, it has been a busy and stressful two weeks. Long story short, I didn't end up leaving SC the day that I had wanted to. I underestimated the amount of crap I had and just how much I had aquired over my two year stay. I packed everything up and then discovered that it wouldn't all fit in my car and I had said that if it didn't fit in my car, it wasn't going with me. The hard question was what to get rid of. Well, the next day I just started tossing stuff. I drove around to all the other apartment complexes around mine to just toss stuff, because mine was getting pissy that I was essentially tossing an entire apartment away. I also made a few trips over to Goodwill. I was finally left with 3 boxes of clothes and no where to put them, SOOOO I took all of my clothes out of the boxes and just stuffed them into every nook and cranny that I could. My car was overflowing with crap. I even had stuff laying across my lap as I drove, hoping to God that the cops didn't pull me over for blocking my windows. Instead of leaving early in the day and enjoying the beautiful ride to Virginia, I ended up leaving at 8pm and not getting to Virginia until 1am. IT was rough, man! I've decided that I absolutely hate the moving process. There were definitly tears and lots of profanity.
The second day was much better, I was able to leave early in the day, 11 am (early for me, not for normal people). I was able to enjoy the beauty of the countryside and really soak in the beauty of our country; watching the slow change in the environment and foliage as I made my way north, and watching the slow increase in cities and industry. I finally made it to NYC at about 7pm and I was warmly greeted by my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins. Living across the country from your extended family only allows for you to build a basic relationship with them, but I felt as though I walked right into my own home back in CA. That's another big perk of this move, that I can really get to know my family on a deeper level. I've always wanted to really experience the big family thing and now I get to.
The next day, which was a Saturday I had set up an audition at a Catholic church downtown. So, I trudged on down, sang for the lovely and very opinionated Eastern European lady and she said that she loved my voice and that I was on her shortlist. I had also been asked to sub for a friend of mine at a Presbyterian church down on 5th and 12th the next morning and they loved me so much that they asked if I'd like a permanant position there. I said that I needed a few days to think about it. Well, I finally heard back from Krazy Helga and she offered me the position at her church, too. Well, I obviously chose the position at the Presbyterian church because A). I loved the people in the choir (there's something about those PreSbyterians) and B) I get to work with a dear friend again.
Now to find a REAL job to support my singing habit. Let me tell you, it has been a struggle. I've easily applied to 20 positions a day since I got here. I've only had a few bites, but you know what they say, you get one call back for every 100 apps that you send in. However, for those of you who haven't gone through the whole lot of pounding-the-pavement, disappointing job searches, IT SUCKS!! I mean I feel like I'm not qualified to do anything, but at the same time, I know that I am. I wish employers would see that. For people who aren't familiar with the music business, it's hard for them to relate what I've been doing for the last two years to the position that they're trying to fill. It can just really beat you down. I'll keep going strong, but my finances are dwindling, mostly due to the cost of public transportation (which is a whole other conversation).
Let's recap, 2 weeks in and I have a church job, but not a full-time high-paying job. Great. Oh, and did I mention that I scored an audition for a summer program! Yeah, awesome right? So, the score is Dream life 2, Real life: 0. Other than all that jazz, I've just been hanging out with the fam and going downtown to do stuff. I'm a little homesick, but that's because I've never really been a "city" guy. I love the suburbs and could live there forever, but you do what you gotta do. The weather just got a little colder and I can't wait to experience my first REAL winter. Alright y'all, I'll keep you updated. Much love!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
What am I doing?!?
Well, this is a first, I honestly never thought that in a million years I would ever start a blog, however, I find myself wanting to document this next stage in my life. I'll give it a shot, but knowing me, I'll probably forget I even have a blog (Someone just reminded me that I had a twitter account, which I've had for I think 3 years). Well, here we go...
As many people know, I just finished my masters in opera. While going to grad school has proven to be an invaluable experience, what I'm really left with is tens of thousands of more dollars in debt and a one way ticket back to the same place I started after I finished my undergrad...trying to figure out, "What's next?!?!"
My move to Columbia, South Carolina was unconventional to say the least. Why would a guy from bright, beautiful, sunny Southern California movesomewhere that is humid, in the middle of nowhere and *gasp* has actual seasons. The answer is simple: school. You could say that the move out here was cathartic. It was the first time that I'd be moving away from home. I'd spent 23 years of my life in SoCal and I was honestly content to stay, but I decided I wanted something more. I wanted a career in the opera biz. So, I slowly went through everything I owned and packed up box after box and placed them into one of three categories: 1) things to get rid of, 2) things to keep, and 3) things to make my parents keep because I didn't want to take it with me and I didn't want to get rid of it. I mean their house was still my home...right?! Long story short, I made the cross country trip BY CAR to the strange land of South Carolina, to the great land of the Fightin' Gamecock!!! Fast forward two years and I find myself in another, similar situation, however, this time around I have no plan. For the first time in my life, I really don't know what's going to happen next. I'm moving for myself and not for anyone else.
See, I was never really good at academics when I was younger (Even to this day I only think I got through college because I figured out how to play the system). I think college became so important to me because I always felt like an idiot when I was younger and earning college degrees was a way of bringing worth to myself. At that stage of your life, it's still so important to you what others think of you and what you might be worth to them. These last two years I developed this way of thinking that has really worked for me. First of all, it doesn't matter what other people think of you, it really only matters what you think of yourself because you're the only person who has to look at yourself in the mirror every morning for the rest of your life. Secondly, I adopted the motto, "You can't change what's happened to you, but you can change how you react." Honestly, this has changed my life. Yes, it kind of gets on people's nerves how happy and cheery and insightful I can be at times, but, once again, who cares. So it was with this new outlook on life that I decided to move to NYC. Actually, it was at the urging of my wonderful voice teacher, Janet, and the amazing support of my family, that I was able to make this decision.
Due to some extenuating circumstances involving a low paying job, a roommate who suddenly moved out, and a lease that was coming to an end, I was left with the issue of packing up my apartment and moving back home to CA. I was having lunch with my voice teacher about a week after my roommate moved out, recounting the whole story and she asks, "What about moving to NY?" I said that I hadn't thought about it. She encouraged me to spend a few months in the city auditioning, working , and trying to find an apartment; if things didn't work out, THEN I could move back to CA. I thought, "Maybe." Then she said the most terrifying thing that she could have said, "You're 25 and you're not getting any younger." OMG!!!! Suddenly everything came to a screeching halt. She was right. I could no longer play the "I'm just a baby" card. I was getting up there and I needed to be actively competing with other singers my age. I needed directors and conductors to hear me. I needed to get my butt in gear. After speaking with my parents, they wholeheartedly agreed. That's when the phone calls began. My parents and I began contacting friends and family in NY seeing if anybody might be able to put me up for a little bit, a few days here and a few days there until I could get on my feet. The response from my extended family was overwhelming, everyone said that they had a bed for me whenever I needed it and for however long I might need it. It's true what they say, blood is definitely thicker than water. So with a place to stay set in stone, I was ready to "pack up the luggage (la, la, la)."
So, here I am two days before I'm supposed to make the long drive north and start my new life and I'm not even close to being done packing. I've found it hard to deal with the fact that I'm leaving Columbia behind. Shockingly enough, spending these last two years on my own for the very first time has changed a lot about who I am and who I thought I was. It's not the city I'm going to miss, but the wonderful people. I've built a life for myself here, I've built a family. I keep thinking the longer I procrastinate the longer I can go without thinking that I may never see many of these people again.
I'm literally leaving SC with whatever I can fit in my car. I have no apartment to move into, I have no job, and I have no money. The odds that I'll be able to travel back to the south anytime soon is slim to none. It's going to be a while before I can scrape together enough money to do that. By the time I can get down there, many of my friends will have moved on. Hopefully, some of them will have moved up north, closer to me, but who knows. So my moving is a bittersweet event. I'm sad to be leaving my life down here, but I'm excited/scared to be moving on with my life, especially in a city that is as intimidating as NYC. We'll see how it goes. Who knows, maybe this blog that I never thought I would ever have will end up being my saving grace, the one place I can go to figure things out, the one constant in a future life of inconsistencies. WISH ME LUCK Y'ALL!!!
As many people know, I just finished my masters in opera. While going to grad school has proven to be an invaluable experience, what I'm really left with is tens of thousands of more dollars in debt and a one way ticket back to the same place I started after I finished my undergrad...trying to figure out, "What's next?!?!"
My move to Columbia, South Carolina was unconventional to say the least. Why would a guy from bright, beautiful, sunny Southern California movesomewhere that is humid, in the middle of nowhere and *gasp* has actual seasons. The answer is simple: school. You could say that the move out here was cathartic. It was the first time that I'd be moving away from home. I'd spent 23 years of my life in SoCal and I was honestly content to stay, but I decided I wanted something more. I wanted a career in the opera biz. So, I slowly went through everything I owned and packed up box after box and placed them into one of three categories: 1) things to get rid of, 2) things to keep, and 3) things to make my parents keep because I didn't want to take it with me and I didn't want to get rid of it. I mean their house was still my home...right?! Long story short, I made the cross country trip BY CAR to the strange land of South Carolina, to the great land of the Fightin' Gamecock!!! Fast forward two years and I find myself in another, similar situation, however, this time around I have no plan. For the first time in my life, I really don't know what's going to happen next. I'm moving for myself and not for anyone else.
See, I was never really good at academics when I was younger (Even to this day I only think I got through college because I figured out how to play the system). I think college became so important to me because I always felt like an idiot when I was younger and earning college degrees was a way of bringing worth to myself. At that stage of your life, it's still so important to you what others think of you and what you might be worth to them. These last two years I developed this way of thinking that has really worked for me. First of all, it doesn't matter what other people think of you, it really only matters what you think of yourself because you're the only person who has to look at yourself in the mirror every morning for the rest of your life. Secondly, I adopted the motto, "You can't change what's happened to you, but you can change how you react." Honestly, this has changed my life. Yes, it kind of gets on people's nerves how happy and cheery and insightful I can be at times, but, once again, who cares. So it was with this new outlook on life that I decided to move to NYC. Actually, it was at the urging of my wonderful voice teacher, Janet, and the amazing support of my family, that I was able to make this decision.
Due to some extenuating circumstances involving a low paying job, a roommate who suddenly moved out, and a lease that was coming to an end, I was left with the issue of packing up my apartment and moving back home to CA. I was having lunch with my voice teacher about a week after my roommate moved out, recounting the whole story and she asks, "What about moving to NY?" I said that I hadn't thought about it. She encouraged me to spend a few months in the city auditioning, working , and trying to find an apartment; if things didn't work out, THEN I could move back to CA. I thought, "Maybe." Then she said the most terrifying thing that she could have said, "You're 25 and you're not getting any younger." OMG!!!! Suddenly everything came to a screeching halt. She was right. I could no longer play the "I'm just a baby" card. I was getting up there and I needed to be actively competing with other singers my age. I needed directors and conductors to hear me. I needed to get my butt in gear. After speaking with my parents, they wholeheartedly agreed. That's when the phone calls began. My parents and I began contacting friends and family in NY seeing if anybody might be able to put me up for a little bit, a few days here and a few days there until I could get on my feet. The response from my extended family was overwhelming, everyone said that they had a bed for me whenever I needed it and for however long I might need it. It's true what they say, blood is definitely thicker than water. So with a place to stay set in stone, I was ready to "pack up the luggage (la, la, la)."
So, here I am two days before I'm supposed to make the long drive north and start my new life and I'm not even close to being done packing. I've found it hard to deal with the fact that I'm leaving Columbia behind. Shockingly enough, spending these last two years on my own for the very first time has changed a lot about who I am and who I thought I was. It's not the city I'm going to miss, but the wonderful people. I've built a life for myself here, I've built a family. I keep thinking the longer I procrastinate the longer I can go without thinking that I may never see many of these people again.
I'm literally leaving SC with whatever I can fit in my car. I have no apartment to move into, I have no job, and I have no money. The odds that I'll be able to travel back to the south anytime soon is slim to none. It's going to be a while before I can scrape together enough money to do that. By the time I can get down there, many of my friends will have moved on. Hopefully, some of them will have moved up north, closer to me, but who knows. So my moving is a bittersweet event. I'm sad to be leaving my life down here, but I'm excited/scared to be moving on with my life, especially in a city that is as intimidating as NYC. We'll see how it goes. Who knows, maybe this blog that I never thought I would ever have will end up being my saving grace, the one place I can go to figure things out, the one constant in a future life of inconsistencies. WISH ME LUCK Y'ALL!!!
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