Friday, June 05, 2009

Promo Shots

This is just a very small sampling of the photos my sister took for me. We shot at 3 locations. Socrates Sculpture Park in Astoria, Queens.




45th Road in Long Island City, Queens.


And Times Square. The new pedestrian area.  Let me know what you think!




©LillianShawPhotography

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Stop, look, listen to your heart, hear what its sayin'

Thank you, Diana and Marvin.

Since I'm coming up on my 3rd anniversary here in New York City I am going to attempt to turn this blog towards the purpose for which it was originally intended. Did you stay with me through that sentence? Good. Then maybe, just maybe we'll all make it afterall.
As some of you may know, I spent 4 years in college studying Musical Theatre. Before that I spent 4 years in high school in One Acts and Spring Musicals and  Community Theatres and Church Plays and talent shows and singing "Here come the Men in Black, Galaxy defenders." And before that I played rocks and Bird #2 and dozens of other applaud inducing roles.... as well as just desperately vying for attention as myself. 

But for the last 3 years I have spent my time auditioning a few times a year, being in ONE show, taking improv classes, and envying other people's chutzpah (I HAVE been in NY). 

My time as a nanny is drawing to a close. I've loved it and feel that I've learned a lot from it but my Dad is right... it isn't what I am here to do. 
I have some money saved. Enough to live modestly for maybe a year (I'm pretty good at budgeting...  don't try this at home). I'm planning on continuing to babysit. I'd also like to do some "gig" type work. Like being an extra or doing some print ads. 
All of this to the point...

I would like to spend one solid year trying to get my acting career started. 

My first move is to get my lovely sister (who is in town this week visiting with friends) to take some headshots and publicity photos for me.  
Lil is a talented photographer with a killer-nice camera. Untapped talent. So I'm trading her airfare, buzz as a future NY headshot photographer (those kids make $$), aaaand possibly a trip to see 9 to 5 for some photos to kick off my quest. 

Second step is to get my caboose to some dance classes. 

Kisses, B

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Happy Birthday Dad!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Happy Late Valentines Day, Lovies.

(whatever, you know you wouldn't have checked this on time anyway.)

*AHEM*


I am sending out my valentine to all of you right now in the form of an adorable video!!! 
(You must be so happy....)

Sunday, September 14, 2008

BarackObama and Happy Anniversary NYC!

When September 11th rolled around this year I realized that it was my 3rd here in NYC. Granted I moved here on September 5th 2006... so I'm really just celebrating 2 full years in New York. Still it is hard to believe.

Here I am back in the first WEEK I lived in NY. Apparently I was on 13th Street...but believe me I had no idea where that was at the time.
I also had my 1 year anniversary at my nannying job at the beginning of the month. Its the longest I've worked anywhere. I don't want to be a nanny forever but I definitely feel lucky to love my job and to feel like I'm building a foundation for getting jobs in theatre.



Here is one of the first picture I took of Lily probably 4 months old. Below is a recent picture at 14 months.
Elena is pretty cute too.

(Warning: What you will read next is totally not bipartisan... Barack the Casbah.)
(Probably not politically correct either.)

As both of you may know (Mom and Dad) I was Hillary supporter back in the primary. Mostly because I think she is a modern day feminist martyr (a rant for another day) and because it was insane and misplaced animosity towards her and Chelsea that disillusioned my 10 or 11 year old self with the notion that because you are an adult you aren't a low-blowing, bullying jerk. But also because I thought she might be more electable that Obama. I was unsure (if hopeful) that America was ready to forgo the sensationalized, one-lining, gladiator style, with us-or-against us, political theatrics. And one of the most attractive (though terrifying if you don't want to lose this election) things about Obama is his refusal to get down in the muck. Which I personally adore...but y'know reality TV is still really popular. I really feel that he has done a good job of compromising. Sticking to the facts while refusing to get steamrolled over by the Republican propaganda machine.
Luckily, I feel like we have the media on our side this time. (Unlike 2004 where I felt like I was the only person ever even looking at Factcheck.) Partially because everyone owns the media these days and the most creative or appealing-appalling media wins. Partially because even the bigwigs don't like the current party in office. Anyway I'm excited (scared) and excited (elated) at the possibilities this election could bring. My two favorite moments so far? Factcheck.org factchecking John McCain's Factcheck ad (he pretty much didn't get anything right... and they were MAD). And Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's renditions of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton last Saturday Night.

My contribution to the campaign so far (besides donating a little money and buying a T-shirt) is the blatant brainwashing I've done to make my 3 year old fall in love with BarackObama. My favorite part is how she says his name like its one word.
One day (while going through my purse, as she often does) she picked up Audacity of Hope and asked me to read it to her.

*As a side note, I suggest reading "Dreams of my Father" first... it is excellent. He is a great writer so its a page turner. Plus, you can get the goods on the first time he ever met Rev. Jeremiah Wright as told by his 1995 self! Side note over.

I had just started it. So first I explained that this book was by the man on the cover, Barack Obama, and he was going to be the next president of the United States... and in charge of all (your) New York City. He grew up in Hawaii, which I thought would peak her interest because we weaned her off saying she was going to "kill" people by teaching her to say she was going to "put you in a box and send you to Hawaii". And that he now lived in Chicago with his wife and two daughters just like her and Lily. I asked her if she thought he was handsome... and of course she said yes (girlfriend is boy-craaaazy, i don't know what they put in those XX chromosomes but it starts EARLY). Anyway I read to her for several pages... which is pretty incredible seeing as there were no pictures...she must have been getting tired... but this whole episode lasted 10 or 15 minutes.
SEVERAL days later her dad tells me that Elena asked him that morning if he knew where BarackObama was from. He said where? And she said, matter-of-factly, Chicago. He thought it was hilarious because he didn't know she had even heard of Obama and called her grandparents to make her repeat her knowledge over the phone. Then at the park a week or so later Elena got pinched by the swing she was on. Once I got my wailing, hysterical baby to calm down to a mild sob the first thing she tearfully said to me was, "Brannon, will you read to me about BarackObama?" He is a comfort to many.

Also, I have to make a video.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

My First Flip Video!



Our new trick. Yes, I share a lot of germs.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Rutabaga


Apparently what I thought was rutabaga.... is actually beets. Beet recipes anyone?

This weeks bounty was bountiful! We even got raspberries and blueberries (though not nearly enough...I ate a pint that size yesterday). Dill and what-I-believe-to-be cilantro. Romaine and some other sort of salad green. Cucumbers and zucchini ( I embarrassingly cut into a zucchini believing them all to be cucumbers). The cucumbers went with my "Italian hummus" (1 can chickpeas + Marinara = Italian hummus). I am babysitting my friend Liz's food processor... and loving it. Swiss Chard... which I still have yet to eat correctly and rutabaga. I have no idea what to do with the three giant, stemmed rutabaga sitting in my kitchen. Suggestions anyone?
In other news, I believe I am coming down with a cold.