Changes, changes, changes!

What a year! Last year at the high school reunion I had no idea how different my life would be in just a few months!

After living in NYC, Denver, and Minneapolis for many years working freelance as a performer/teacher, last February I was surprised to find myself living in Philadelphia-- after 26 years away.

I had a job offer I couldn't refuse--hosting afternoons at the Philadelphia Smooth Jazz radio station, WJJZ. It was "can you get here three weeks ago" so I tore up my life to get here fast...about 10 days from the offer to my first day on the air. My husband took care of everything else: packing up the house in MN and moving everything and our two cats to PA. He got here in June.

In August, the parent company, Clear Channel, pulled the plug and let everybody go, including the manager who brought us here in the first place. (Ratings were UP, btw!)

So I'm collecting unemployment for now and trying to build up my freelance work. (I perform and teach voiceover acting and Middle Eastern Dance.) Obviously, I don't have the contacts here like I did after living in Minneapolis for over 17 years, so it's slow-going. And we might move again! All options are open.

My husband, Dave, is putting his tremendous creativity into just one of his many areas of interest: building web sites. He also does standup comedy, is a fantastic writer, a brilliant photographer, and plays the piano wonderfully. We have no children, just the two cats! We've been married a little over 2 years.

Coincidentally, my folks moved back to the area after many years in Florida, so we will have Christmas together. My little sister, Caroline (who just turned 40!!!) and her family will be here from San Francisco and we will have the first Christmas all together since about 1980!

Oh--I have to say I have had the great pleasure of seeing Stuart Yankell's art in person. He really is a modern day Renaissance Man. It's also fun to look at his gorgeous art and then remember the projects Mr. Norcross used to have us do in Middle School. Remember having to draw someone's shoe? Some gnarly tennis shoe or a saddle shoe in the middle of the table? You just had to draw it from whatever angle you were sitting? Then we'd see Stuart's AMAZING work on the hallway bulletin board along with the rest of our work. Uh, just a slight difference in talent, ability, and skill! :) hehehe.

Shopping? What's that? :) One unpleasant Christmas Eve at the Mall of America convinced me of the joys and pleasures of on-line shopping...even for an extrovert like me!

In the New Year Dave and I want to continue to expand our awareness to accept what the the universe has in store for us. We've put a lot of effort in some areas, but have realized that our main effort is expand our consciousness far enough to accept something better than we ever expected. I perceive that we're getting close! The stories of "close but no cigar" on the job front are pretty interesting, but the main story I believe is the process of the expansion of our consciousness.