Aspiring Actress Update

Now that she's been on an actual audition, does that make her an actress? I guess not until she gets a role! The update for today was just the audition itself. She didn't want me to go in with her (GASP!), so I waited with the other parents and girls. Later on, we got an email with all kinds of information to fill in on a profile. Not sure if that's a good sign or something everyone who auditions does ... but we'll see!

It was interesting to see the other girls there for the punk/emo/goth group scene. One was really quite cute with black and purple hair, piercings, etc. A couple others looked like shy girls with dark eyes, but authentic. One looked like "Wanna Be Emo Barbie" (but was awfully full of sparkles and all new/shiny like) with modeling comp cards in hand. And one more looked like country singer cutie pie with skinny jeans and flannel. Miss M? She's mild but authentic ... just like you see her above (another favorite photo of hers from last night): skinny jeans, hoodie, worn-out converse and the eye makeup she so desperately wants to wear (but mom usually vetos).

She brought some prints to school (the two we emailed last night) ... scared kids, I hear. Maybe they were just being, ummm, dramatic? I have to laugh.

WOWZA! A callback!

Guess what? After sending in these two photos last night, Miss M got called for an audition! I'm going to make it happen ... and if she's what they're looking for, she'll be filming with a group of girls on Friday!

Movie Time?

The casting email comes ... this one might fit! But we have to send in a recent photo, and if possible, I'd like it to resonate with the scene. Between ballet and pointe classes, she donned her black duds and tried NOT to look pretty.  We hit a few places, took a few pictures, and the last one of the night was our favorite ... BUT ... we're keeping that a secret for now.  I'll share more later if I have time.

As for the little model and wannabe actress, she's ELATED!  I think she's ready to put together a whole photo album of herself and share with the world.  As for me, I'm glad I had some time behind the camera and quality time with my daughter.  Regardless of the movie outcome, it's a life memory for both of us!

Joys of Nature

We got to discover all the leftover bounty in the garden at Grandma and Grandpa's place this weekend. This little guy turned out to be the mildest in a power-packed chili challenge! Why we couldn't curb our curiosity is beyond me. I really don't like those kinds of things, but somehow I was the first to cave in and try. After filming the antics of other sufferers, even my little one got in on the game! Brave girl. Silly adults.

Encouragements and Struggles

I have had another round of unexpected encouragements connected with work but not connected at the same time (it's something I do on my own time). My "I'm A Girl Scout" blog received some attention, and because it impacted others, I was greatly encouraged ... Not for me, but for the fact that it made a difference.

I'm not going to go into detail, neither am I going to post this anywhere other than my personal blog. But what I will say is that I had the wonderful moment of hearing how another staff person was weighing recent messages about her purpose, and after reading my story, with tears running down her face, called her family to tell them that she indeed was where she should be and felt this is her calling.

Funny how my words in a simple story can define purpose in others while I'm struggling with my own. It makes me wonder ...
... Am I missing my purpose?
... Or could that BE my purpose?
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Love and Science

I happened to come across this blog post: The Brain in Love and Lust

"In a study published in 2002, anthropologist Helen Fisher PhD of Rutgers University and a multi-disciplinary team of experts recruited 40 young people madly in love - half with love returned, the other half with love rejected - and put them into an MRI with a photo of their sweetheart and one of an acquaintance. Each subject looked at the sweetheart photo for 30 seconds, then - after a diversion task - at the acquaintance photo for another 30 seconds.. They switched back and forth for 12 minutes.

The result was a revealing photo album of the brain in love. Think like a brain scientist and you too would be excited by activity in the right ventral tegmental area. This is the part of the brain where dopamine cells project into other areas of the brain, including the posterior dorsal caudate and its tail, both which are central to the brain’s system for reward and motivation. The sweetheart photos, but not the acquaintance photos, were the cause. In addition, several parts of the prefrontal cortex that are highly wired in the dopamine pathways were mobilized, while the amygdala, associated with fear, was temporarily mothballed."

It makes me think of a Bible verse ... "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." (1 Jn. 4:8)

My Boy is 18!!!

I'm not sure how that is possible ... and yet the road certainly seems that long when viewed in certain ways.  There have been shining moments and dark days.  But one thing remains, I love him.  For friends and family who don't know, we tried a move to Ohio to see if it helped bring an uphill curve, so it's been very different without him in Oklahoma!  And celebrating special days is not very easy.  I probably went a little bit overboard compiling all kinds of memories for his birthday, but here's his own blog page from my heart:  http://indigobleue.blogspot.com/p/happy-birthday-jeremy.html