A lot of wonderful things have been happening to me over the past few weeks, and I just wanted to share them with you. It's always been difficult for me not to go spew my mouth off about potentially great things, but I've always seemed to find I regret jumping the gun. I've been trying very hard lately to hold off on news sharing until I know the whole story/all the facts/know what's really going on. And I'm glad I did. This week is crazy busy, so let's just start at the top.
I am working for Blue Flame/American Heart Association on their Hands-Only CPR Launch Tour - which is designed to train 1,000 people in 24 markets over the course of three years in the life-saving technique of Hands-Only CPR.
The Tour objectives are to:
1. Train 1,000ppl on Hands-Only CPR in every market,
2. Bring the FUN element to every training with high-energy, enthusiasm, music and dancing,
3. Communicate the AHA key messages,
4. Create positive buzz about the client and the Hands-Only trainings within each market,
5. Encourage participants to take their Hands-Only kits home and train their friends and families.
What I will be doing for them tomorrow at their Launch is dance a choreographed routine to The Bee Gees song "Stayin' Alive" - which is the theme song for Hands-Only CPR.* The morning starts at 5.45am (...I know...) outside of Good Morning America. Here's where I'm glad I didn't go shooting my mouth off. From their emails they had made it sounds like we were going to have featured spots on GMA and The Today Show for this event. Hahaha. No. We will be in the crowd of people trying to get seen by the cameras. So, not as exciting or news worthy as I'd hoped, but the chances of us getting seen are good - because we will be in white disco suits ala John Travolta, with massive wigs. Yes, my friends. If you tune into GMA tomorrow (Tuesday, June 5th) morning, you might very well see me in a ridiculous strawberry blonde Afro wig. I tried it on, and lemme tell you, I look hott. Ooooh joy ;P
We will be handing out flyers and chatting up the crowds, and then head over to Grace Plaza, where the actual Launch of the Tour occurs - which will start off with our Stayin' Alive dance (with yours truly front and center), followed by speakers of various sorts: Doctors, people whose lives were saved by Hands-Only CPR, special volunteers, and the big guest of the day is Jennifer Coolidge. So, good times. And, may we all just take a moment to enjoy the irony that my first paying performance gig is for me being a dancer? Thank you.
But seriously, guys, this is so simple and yet such a vital thing. If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 9-1-1, and push hard and fast in the center of the chest to The Bee Gees song "Stayin' Alive". Remember, don't be afraid - your actions can only help. For more information and a demonstration of Hands-Only CPR, go here.
*Why Stayin' Alive? The AHA says that people feel more confident performing Hands-Only CPR and are more likely to remember the correct rhythm when trained to the beat of the disco classic. And, "Stayin' Alive" has more than 100 beats/min, which is the rate you should push on the chest during CPR. If you begin Hands-Only CPR to the beat of "Stayin' Alive" immediately on a teen or adult who collapses from sudden cardiac arrest, you can double or triple their chances of survival.
Moving on, out of the blue (and I hope I'm not jumping the gun on this one!), a friend asked if he could do a promotional video for my face-painting business!! I met Micah through a musical theatre church group, and have been blessed to take part in the reading of his fantastic show The Lorelei and sing one of his songs, the hilarious patter song No To Philip - which was a massive success at the MT Forum :) He also works in video and was intrigued by my work and wanted to do this project. Woohoo!! I was very flattered and am excited to do it. However, lots of planning in a short amount of time needs to be done - we're trying to put it all together this week, because on Sunday I leave for most of June, and in July he starts a full time job. I'm trying to get together volunteers - adults and kids, figure out locations/logistics, and I still haven't decided what awesome designs to paint! Lots to do, but I'm super excited, and know the end result will be absolutely wonderful. I hope the weather cooperates!
Also this week before I head off (and between packing, cleaning the apartment, face-painting, etc. etc.), I'm taking some seminars, dance classes, seeing A Streetcar Named Desire (which I won tkts to - awesome!!), and am doing a reading of The Merchant of Venice - one of my all-time favorite Shakespeare shows, and Portia is a role I definitely want to play in my lifetime in more than just a reading. Though, I've always preferred Antonio over Bassanio. Bassanio seems nice, I guess, but really? He's a rich boy who frittered his fortune away by living way beyond his means, and has no problem mooching off his friends and not re-paying debts, and lets his friend put his life on the line so he can get some more money to go woo this beautiful heiress. Antonio is the nicest guy, always putting up with his mooch of a friend who is constantly taking advantage of him, he has a good head for business, made his own fortune, and is genuinely good-hearted. Yeah, I think Antonio and Portia should end up together. But that's just me. Anyway....
For the big news, if you didn't already know, I am going to Guatemala on June 10th to check out the work of The International Justice Mission, which helps fight sex slavery and trafficking around the world. My mom heard about IJM and started donating and then heard about this short trip to Guatemala to see firsthand the things they do to combat the trafficking and make sure the perpetrators are stopped and punished, and also to make sure the country's laws on the matter are properly enforced. She thought it would be a great thing for me to go on. For a long time I didn't really know why I was going, besides not having anything else to do with my time, so why not? I still don't know what I can actually do for these people - IJM and the people they are helping - but I have a feeling God is going to open my eyes and do a work in my life. And I've heard from several people that just being there and caring/showing an interest in people and their plight is enough.
This is like nothing I've ever done before. I don't personally know any of the other people, I've never been to a third-world country, I don't speak the language at all, and I'm sure it will be a massive culture shock. But I'm quite looking forward to it. My small group Bible study unfortunately is taking a break for the summer, but at the last two meetings, I got some wonderful, encouraging prayers about going - I am so blessed and grateful for the amazing people God has brought into my life.
After the IJM days, I'm staying on in Guatemala with two IJM women for some much needed vacation time. We'll be staying in a bungalow at a beach in Montericco for a few days, then heading to Antiqua for some volcano hiking, zip-lining, chocolate making classes, and spa time (I'm also actually considering getting acupuncture here - maybe they can fix whatever seems to be wrong with my shoulder). I'm looking forward to new food, new sites, new people, new experiences. Who has two thumbs and is super excited? This girl!!
I get back from Guatemala on June 19th, and on the 20th I'm taking part in a reading of a new show called Dream - which is rather based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, but with multiple twists. I've read the 1st act so far and am intrigued. I love helping develop and flesh out new works, and am quite looking forward to this reading.
And on June 21st I begin the Broadway Artists' Alliance Professional Intensive - which is for a small group of triple threat performers ages 19-25, where we pretty much get to take classes from awesome people and end with a showcase for just industry. So, that will keep me busy right after getting back. And since I'll have missed three days of work, I picked up 4 extra shifts starting the day after BAA ends to make up for my absence - however, they are morning shifts!!!! Which means I'll be getting up at 6am to get to work by 7am to do all that stuff. But they pay me well, and I love my job, so hopefully it won't be too difficult to haul myself out of bed at that early hour. No matter how often I do get up that early though, whether it be for auditions, performances, or work, I find it never gets any easier. Here's to hopin'.
That's about it for now, besides the fact I'm doing a Harry Potter Marathon. I'm watching a Harry Potter movie every night which will bring me up to the day I leave. I haven't seen them all in a long while, and it seemed like the thing to do as it fit perfectly with my trip. Funny how everything has fit in so neatly with regards to day