oh yeah, I have a blog...

Ok.....I should probably blog more.  I started this to be therapeutic on those days when I was feeling like I needed to do something "productive" when I couldn't do anything else.
 Well if anything my lack of blogging has meant being productive in other ways.

What have I been up to? 

I've been singing a lot, most recently at Lincoln Center where I got to sing this gem of a song by Drew Fornarola and Scott Elmegreen, "Middle East Disney".  I was playing The Democratic Candidate in their show that had its premiere at NYMF 2009 called VOTE!(for me): A Musical Debate:

Pretty topical stuff these days.  Here's the "flipside": a video of Drew singing the Republican Candidate's song, "The Global Warming Song" "

and at The Uptown Cabaret Spotlight series, also for composer (and friend) Drew Fornarola.

 This was just me and Drew so I had a lot to sing! It was quite a learning experience to be in a "cabaret venue," since I'm so used to being on a proscenium stage or in a show.  It's tough to keep your concentration when tables are talking and ordering but it's a great learning skill to add to the arsenal...especially when I hit Feinstein's :-)

Everyone's favorite part of the evening was Drew's newest song "84 Years Old," a hilarious and touching tribute to his grandmother.  I love proving to people that yes, in fact I can be funny, so here's me as Granny:

I don't have any video on "Granny" but I'll be recording her song this week so stay tuned.


Earlier in the year, I created a YouTube Page for myself with some professionally recorded songs, as well as some links to performances around town.  It was shot by Armando Bravi of BraviMedia and arranged, directed, styled (!) by the incomparable Michael Larsen, a dear amazing talented musical director, director, hero, coach, and friend. If you need a good coach, accompanist, or anything of the like, I highly reccomend.

We had a whirlwind spring of weddings, all amazing and all different!

I've picked up knitting again thanks to a BookishBeauty who has inspired me. It's great to have friends that inspire you in amazing ways and BB always comes through.  If I don't say it enough, thank you, dear friend.  I first started knitting on tour a few years back and am so happy to have picked it up again.  It's great to make people smile by giving them hand made items, and it is extremely therapeutic due to the fact that it combines left brain and right brain activity.

Here are a few of my most recent projects:

Mr. R. wanted a tall hat so I improvised an old pattern:

 Then I made some Baby Booties and A Matching Hat for some friends: Megan and Joe(Megan has a great blog!)  who are expecting a little boy in just a few weeks:

And Finally, some his and her hats for our dear friends who were married in an extraordinary castle wedding this past April!

I'm working on some great infinity and keyhole scarves for the fall and hope to progress to shrugs and sweaters soon!

I've been spending a lot of time on pinterest gathering patterns...okay and looking at clothes, but hey, it's a GREAT way to beat that online shopping addiction.


Finally, I've been helping out with "Have I Got A Girl For You"  a play written by and starring one of my dearest friends, who I've referred to before as SS man (Sober Sommelier).  The show asks: How does a newly sober gay musical theatre actor rebuild his life after rehab? He gets a job running a female escort agency of course! The hilarious true story of the most unlikely new member in the oldest profession. Again. True. Story.
Mr. R. Stars in it as one of the many johns in it.
 I could not be more proud and have seen almost every show.  Due to a sold out run and great notices, they've just been extended to an off Broadway house.  Get your tickets here: they open September 13.

Finally, as I go to join Mr. R for dinner, I don't have any Past, Present or Future pictures for this entry.  I'm trying to live in the present as much as I can.   But there are some anniversaries I'd like to share:

August 25th would have been my father's 60th birthday:

August 31st marked 5 years since Mr. R proposed on the Brooklyn Bridge:

September 1st marked the saddest day of my life, two years ago when I lost my hero, my father:

September 12th will be my three year wedding anniversary:

And finally, September 19th, will mark the day I met the man of my dreams, 8 years ago (this is one of our first pictures together, taken the day Mr. R brought me to see "his" new apartment, which shortly turned into "our" apartment, and we're still happily there today):

So a lot of ups and downs.

Hope today is an "up" day for you, but remember what doesn't kill us...I never quite believed that, but I have gotten so strong in the past two years, I guess it's true.  And I'm going to keep up this blog! 

Em


P.S. I'm going to keep up this blog, not quite sure what it's turning into, but I have a "headless chicken party" I attended this summer that I must report on....so stay tuned!!