Hello, Voice! Nice to meet you!

Currently I am under strict orders not to talk for the next 30 minutes. Probably one of the most difficult tasks I will ever have to accomplish. You'd think being alone would make it easier not to talk. No cigar. I talk to myself, out loud, all the time so this is quite challenging. Why am I not supposed to talk right now? In the past five days my voice has grown so much and I have worked so diligently that I need to take it easy. Take a break while I'm ahead. Work hard, rest harder.

The reason I haven't updated in forever is because I have been so busy with classes, practicing and study that by the time I get back to my room all I want to do is sleep. But it's not exhaustion. It's working as much as it is playing. I am bettering myself as a vocalist, an actress, a dancer (who knew?) and because of that I am bettering myself as a human being.

In my voice lessons I'm opening up my chest and my throat so that sound can travel more freely, but its allowing my spirit to travel more freely as well. In coaching, I'm commanding my songs and pieces so that I can convey my message to my audience which also allows me to convey my message to the world. In acting, I'm relating music and scenes to my personal life and adding raw human emotion to my pieces. This is also allowing me to be more honest and true when interacting with my fellow men and women. Finally, in dance I am carrying myself with grace so I can walk across a stage with ease but I am also being shown how to treat my body with respect and to everyday carry it like the miracle that it is.

The first day of acting class, after I sang "I Will Be Loved Tonight" (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) my teacher gave me one of the greatest compliments I have ever received. She said, "Girl, you've got FIRE in you". I think that's something I will carry with me always. I do have fire in me, and I refuse to apologize for it. I've realized that I have been blessed with passion and I am so thankful for that. I'm am thankful to be able to wake up in the morning, excited for my day. I'm thankful that I can find something to be hopeful for even on the shitiest of days.

In other, not so crunchy granola news, I went to go see a FREE concert given by the New York Philharmonic at St. John the Divine on Monday. When you put the words "free" and "concert" together in New York City, you better be ready for a loooooooong ass line. The line to get in stretched from the entrance on Amsterdam, all the way around 110th, and around the corner again to Morningside. Insanity but well worth the wait.

Alright peeps. I solemnly swear to update sooner and to post photos.

Peace, Love and Fuego,

Geni