When The Universe Hands Out Lemons

It's definitely time to make lemonade, particularly in this weather.  Economic times are shaky.  I hear about people losing their jobs, about 600 applicants applying for a single position, about uncertainty.  Uncertainty can be really scary. And here's another reason I love New York City - every one has his or her own verion of a lemonade stand.

People are getting creative; thinking about what they really want to do.  If jobs in a certain field are hard to come by, they're finding new fields.  It's about being flexible and confident in your own talents.  Spending time and energy on a real interest is much more productive than worrying about the lack of jobs.  Plus, you never know what doors may open.

My friend Chris is this energy personified.  Unhappy with his corporate job, he left a few years back.  Unsure of what to do, he knew his skills would take him somewhere.  Six years later, he's worked on numerous video productions (stellastarr* and Muse being my favorites), acted in a number of productions, appeared in ad campaigns and worked on numerous art projects.  His model gives me inspiration.  Of course he's talented and creative, there's no doubting that.  But what really gets him ahead is his confidence in his own talent.  He has faith in himself, and the faith to know that he can tackle any creative endeavor the universe throws his way. 

So it's no surprise he's been getting a lot of attention on the Internet these day.

Chris tried out for the new Bravo Reality show - a casting call for artists in NYC.  You can read his interview, along with twelve other contestants here.

Also, check out the interview (video, no less!) from a recent gallery exhibit in Staten Island. 

So the moral of the story is: don't just make lemonade. Make lemon pie, lemon cookies, lemon ice.  Have fun with it!

Then & Now

Work relationships are always interesting.  Really, we spend most of our time with people we wouldn't otherwise know.  There have been times in my life when I spent more time with my co-workers than I did with the people I loved.  These are people we don't choose to meet, a selection of job skills is what bring us together.  I've worked with many people and made some terrific friendships along the way.  But one situation sticks in my brain as remarkable.

When I moved to New York City, I didn't know many people here.  I was a bit overwhelmed with my new life, new home and new job.  In the most unlikely of places (an investment bank) I found some of my favorite people.  I remember the first time I met Sue, Michael and Chris individually; I remember how I liked each of them instantly.  They continue to be fantastic friends, but also shaped how I first interacted with the city itself.  I made other friends through them, saw new parts of the city and had new experiences because of them.  And I'm so glad it was them I met first.

We were tasked to build and grow a department, not knowing how this new media would explode.  Stuck in a sub-level basement we worked as a team, finding each others' strengths.  It was an amazing symbiotic relationship.  As the months progressed, still in our sublevel basement (some days never seeing daylight) we created a safe haven.  We worked hard, but we also played, created and shared.  We all went through times of celebration and drama.  We each moved, started and ended relationships, made important life decision, and dreamt about the future with each other. We created life-lasting bonds.  When life seemed to be the hardest, I always knew that the people at work would support and nurture me.  We all did.

We were part of a creative department, yet separated from the group.  As we built our little lab, people from the department would come and visit.  They came down to eat lunch, to take a break between stressful meetings, just to say hello.  Every one told us how lucky we were to have our own space.  Really, we were lucky to have each other.  The space became what it was because of the four of us.  Changing one person would have changed the dynamic completely.  We helped each other move, went to each other's homes, spent time with each other outside of work.  And although we did spend time discussing work (as you do) we spend so much time together because we spent the majority of time not talking about work. Even when we were on the job, we took time to speak about the other things in our lives. Not only did we work well together, but we genuinely liked each other.

As time went on, our little group needed to split up. It was time to leave the nest.  Slowly, we all found new, wonderful opportunities.  Because of the bonds we built we remain very close friends.  As our lives take shape we don't speak to each other as frequently, but when we get together its magical.

Sue's in town for her art opening - go to The Screamers site, it's awesome.  So the four of us were able to get together.  Once again we shared our experiences, talked about the future, our recent accomplishment and frustrations.  We hung out.  And it was awesome.

An interview with Chris Frederick

Chris Frederick is a Brooklyn-based artist.  His work has crossed media and genres, in the form of photography, drawing, video production, acting and now film making.  He answered a few questions about his new film, Heads & Tails, which is currently in production.  You can read the interview here.

Heads & Tails, the Movie

Again, it's the Year of Yes (I'm really having fun with this one so far) and accordingly I'm not turning down any potential adventures.

As I've mentioned before my friend Chris is in the process of making a film.  He and his partner started filming it about a year and a half ago.  Once they had enough footage, they put together a trailer and started shopping it around.  This year, they received the funding they needed and are able to finish the production. 

You can see the trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WLwnw7JRFk

Knowing my friend Chris from the days we worked together at Morgan Stanley, I know how creative he is.   also know just how passionate he is with his work.  So when he asked if I was interested in helping with the final filming I had to say yes. 

My role was not a glamorous one, but then again I've never been all that into glamour.  I was a PA, helping out anywhere and everywhere I could.  I was Craft Services, Wardrobe, assistant to the Props Manager (Abby) and Extra.  Perhaps because it was a volunteer one day even, it was surprisingly fulfilling.  Because of the professional attitudes of the crew and cast, it was an absolute pleasure to work on. 

After working for myself, and by myself after the past few months, it was a fun role to play.  It reminded me that I was very good at my Production jobs.  The last place I worked was completely chaotic.  I wasn't learning anything, I was very unhappy with my role and management.  Despite completing my tasks timely and accurately, I never felt I was doing my job well enough.  That was my last work experience.

This was exactly what I needed.  It was a fun, creative environment in which we needed to meet actual, attainable goals within a timeline.  Everyone worked very hard, but everyone also had a great time.  It was one of the smoothest projects I've ever worked.

Who knew that was going to be such a fun reaffirming experience?  All said, it was another example of the power of saying yes to the world.

What I Did Over Winter Break

So it's back to work today.  After a couple weeks away I feel completely and utterly inspired.

I'm not one to just sit around, so the time was incredibly well spent.  Starting with a visit to the Like the Spice Gallery in Wililamsburg for the It's A Small World show.  As mentioned before, my friend Abby was showcasing her menagerie of animal hybrids.  I've seen them on her site and in photographs, but on display they're amazing.  Her die-cast rings were also available and I don't know what was more impressive, the rings themselves or their displays. 

My friend Chris Frederick was also in attendance.  He's continuing to work on his film.  Right now, he's offering a unique opportunity for people to become a part of the film by making a donation through the non-profit organization Fractured Altas.

The gallery event was followed by dinner with my former roommates Lauren and Clara.

Years ago, I met Clara and then Lauren through Craigslist.  We each needed roommates, that was all we knew when we first met.  Something in the cosmic cards must have aligned correctly.  When I met the lovely ladies, I was at a vulnerable period in my life ... just starting to get my life together.  The fun, nurturing environment we fostered in our apartment, "the bottom bell" (so named for the location of the buzzer) or "house of healing" (so named for the welcoming and nurturing environment), became a real sanctuary.  When the time came and we all were ready to leave the nest, we did so with amazing strength and support.

I've been thinking back to those days, the bottom bell days, during which I was completely content no matter what was going on in my life.  I've been reaching back to the person who felt so secure and was so creative constantly.  It's funny how a few trials and tribulations can move you from center.

Robert was home for a week, so we were able to spend some actual quality time together as well as address the needs of our apartment.  Suddenly my space seems workable again. 

In all of my rush to get my business going, it's really important to remember the other aspects of your life. I've said it before, but perhaps it needs to be repeated like a mantra.  A night out on the town, a night out dancing, a great movie (review coming soon) can really have a lifting affect.

As well as saying yes to the world, in 2009 I'm going to experience as much as I possibly can.  I'm going to reach out as much as I can.  I'm surrounded by so many amazing people.  Seeing myself through their eyes is just about the most inspirational thing I can find.