It's Just My Imagination

I found a phone outside of my apartment building, I picked it up, and brought up to my apartment. I was hoping for a phone call, so that I can tell the person that I have it, and they can have there possession back. Every time I lose a phone, I always hope that someone would find it, and hold it safe for me. Which seems to never be the story, and my phone is always lost or stolen to the world! Anyway, the phone laid next to my bed last night, and my imagination went wild. As I become a man that seems to be bipolar all through out the evening. I imagined it was trap, and it was planted for me to pick up and it was going to blow up any second! Then I thought it was some conspiracy theory, and the cops were going to come and take me away, What? Is one week of acting class making my imagination crazy and bigger than ever? What is wrong with me? LOL! The story ended well, the girl called for her phone, and my roommate brought it downstairs to her, while I was in the shower. She says the girl offered her forty bucks, for saving her life. My roommate declined the money, and came up stairs. I'm happy it all worked out, and I guess it was just my imagination!

Learning To Not Judge Yourself

The phrase above is so very vital to my life, and it is something I'm slowly learning how to do this week in acting class. The acting class for me thus far is a little slow, because I have so much experience, and went to college for theater, so I find people are learning things that I already know. However, it is amazing, to go back to square one, and relearn them. I'm also trying to take things seriously that I have never been able to do in my past. Sometimes acting teachers talk this lingo "mumbo jumbo stuff", that I don't want to ever give them a chance. "The energy from the palm of your hand, feel it, put it up above your head, move you hands up, and release all that energy", sometimes that kind of talk makes me think "What drugs are you on"? LOL, Now I'm allowing myself to open up and try these things. I am learning weird things in my journey on my first week of class. I know the head of the department, says "To bare with it, because the program starts basic, but it is going to get so intensive and crazy in a few weeks. I'm ready for the challenging parts to take place. However, although I find myself relearning, it is important to me, to get back to the basics. To get back into my body, and free myself up! Working so much, can pay a toll on your natural instincts, and you are always judging your performance. To be in a space where I have trust, to be able to fail, and try anything is the most important lesson for me this week. I love that I can fail and not be judged. I love that I can try things that are so off the wall, and find out that they work! I love being able to not judge my work, and this week thus far, has challenged me to do so.





P.S. Because of my crazy schedule with class, gym, real life, Brewster, and just being tired! I will now for the next 6 weeks only be blogging on the weekends!

Follow Your Path

As I read on facebook of friends from The A Chorus Line tour, booking gigs and making there Broadway Debut. Not to sound cocky, but I have been there-- done that. I haven't went on a single audition. I'm sorry, blog world, I'm very superstitious and won't be blogging about meetings or projects I audition for. I like to keep my auditions to myself, and talk about it, once the gig is mine. However, I am following my path, people judge, people wonder why I haven't auditioned. That is not my path right now, my goal was to go to school, and when I get out of my intensive program-- audition like crazy. What have I been doing for the past two months? Gym, meetings with agents, finding a new church home, and solidifying my life here in New York City! Finally, the day has come, when I started my class. As I had breakfast, and walked Brewster this a.m. at the crack butt of the morning! It was a great day, and the class seems like something I will grow from, and come out with more awareness of myself, and hopefully an even better actor. As an ethnic actor, I have to work harder than most. Cause yes I may have less competition, but I have alot of barriers to break! Not to mention, less roles written for me, and it is my time to move out of the chorus, and get out front. I am doing everything I can to be the best me! I need to be on my game, and ready to represent myself to my fullest potential. I truly enjoy the work, I thrive for perfection, and love the obsession I have about my craft! So here I go, on my journey, and following my path. Auditions I will see you in three months, and you better be ready, cause I'm going to be a force to be reckon with! Thank you GOD, for giving me the strength to not waver from my path, as I had many temptations, and for challenging me to make a change, and to have FAITH, not FEAR, in the abyss of a unknown future!

Museum Project #1

Tiffany Cooper, the girl above, looking stunning in these pictures, is a dear friend of mine. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of life, keeps you so busy, that you find, you don't have time for friends. She also lives in Harlem, and I live in Brooklyn, and both of our schedules are crazy! Good friendships are so important to me, and Tiffany has time and again, proven herself to be such an amazing friend. Tiffany and I are going to take a journey together that I will blog about. This project is for us to broaden our horizons, but also so that I get quality time with my friend, not via, the phone! Therefore, Blog World we vow to try once a month, meet up, and each time we meet, we will go to a museum. We will take a cultural tour through many Museums in New York City! We will try to see extraordinary exhibits, and I will attempt to give you my opinion on them.

First Museum Date was this week, and we went to the Museum at FIT, which is all about clothes and fashion! You see Tiffany Copper loves to wear vintage 50's dresses, and she actually collects them. Just like the vintage dress she has on in the pictures above. My love for fashion, is growing, and growing as I get older. I'm not the vintage type of guy, but I do love a label time and again. I'm also intrigued by trends, and how they keep coming back, in and out, of our clothing lives. This first museum experience was free, and perfect for us. As we walked through FIT, we got to look at clothing, day and night looks from the eighteen hundreds through the present. It was fun to watch Tiffany's face light up when we hit the 50's and 60's! I was the opposite I loved the 20's with the flapper dresses, and the cute hats. I also loved Victorian time, which is probably too much work for women, with all the corsets etc. I so wish I could have taken pictures of this exhibit, so you can see for yourself. However, we asked, and they would not allow us. Now, you have to go for yourself and see, the evolution of fashion, and trend!

My only disappointment in the exhibit was that through the whole thing, I only found three suits, for men. We are always left out of things, when it comes to fashion. I believe men have statements to make with clothing. There trends would have been just as interesting. I will say that I was thrilled with with the three suits I did see, and I picked out my suit for the Oscars! LOL
Tiffany was in strong disagreement with the outfit I chose for myself, but I always want to make a statement, even if I'm on the worse dressed list. LOL

In the end, Tiffany and I had a great time together, and I'm excited about seeing more culture in the city. I feel I live here, and never take advantage of so many things, that I could be seeing! The knowledge I could be gaining, and now some quality time with my friend! If you like fashion, and want to kill some educational time, go to the museum at FIT, and I'm sure you will enjoy yourself!

Inglorious Bastards

This movie has been a very long journey for me! I will have to admit, this journey was well worth the wait! When this movie came out, I was so excited, because I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan, and a movie buff. I immediately went to the movies opening weekend to see this flick. I walked out of the theater, after 20 minutes, it was violent, subtitles, and I was over it! The style of the film got on my nerves, and I just didn't want to watch it. Now as a SAG member, I got all these wonderful movies, on DVD, to view, so that I can vote for the SAG awards. I watched them all, even though I had already seen most of them. You see, I take voting very seriously, and want to vote for who I think is doing the best work! The SAG awards, has to be a thrill, because you win a award, not voted by some random academy, but voted by your "actor peers", therefore it is awesome. Anyway, that is off the subject, I started Inglorious Bastards two days ago, and turned it off, after 20 minutes. I watched the same 20 minutes that I paid 12 dollars for at the movies. Decided, to try again, and yesterday, popped the flick back in my blue ray player, and got through about an hour of it, but more intrigued, after I got past all the gore, and violence. I became impressed by the story, the actors, the style, and the writing! However, I fell asleep, and never finished the movie. Well, tonight home from the gym, and errands, in goes Inglorious Bastards, and I made it through the whole movie. WOW, was I shocked, at how much I loved this film. It has to be a Jewish persons dream movie, plot wise. Also the actors, are so extreme, that I started to panic and think to myself "could I ever pull that off"? "Do I have that much talent"? After doubting myself for awhile this has proven to me, even more how brilliant this film is. Quentin Tarantino is before his time, and I vow to never doubt the man again. Yes, this film is very violent, and yes it takes a minute to get into, but you should definitely try it. This movie is genius! I was cheering and screaming at the end! BRAVO!!!!!!

AVATAR

I couldn't wait to see Avatar, and refused to see it, at the regular theater, or just in 3D. I needed the 3D IMAX version of this picture, and I'm so glad I saw it that way. To be transported to that awesome world was amazing to me, and kept my attention for the whole three hours. Yes, I have seen this story before, but I will never see it done like this. The direction and cinematography was amazing! It was the ultimate commercial movie going experience! I liked that it was 3D, and there wasn't a bunch of things flying in my face, and trying to scare me. It was just a tool to transport you, and enhance your suspension of disbelief. YAY for James Cameron, and for this beautiful film!!!! Hey, aren't I a cool looking AVATAR!???

Brooklynites

The weather outside for this time of the year, is insanely amazing! Today Brewster and I, got up, I took him for his morning walk, and feeling the inspiration of the weather, we decided to hit up Fort Greene park! It was stunning, and on my walk there, I saw some beautiful architecture in my neighborhood. Gorgeous buildings, and big beautiful churches, and felt a sense of history! Places, that I can't believe are just up the street from me. The culture of Brooklyn is so cool, hip, trendy, and fun. It is like being a part of a club, or another world that is still New York City, but almost cooler! I imagine all the people I see (Besides the crack heads) to be trendy, artist, or intellectuals. Everyone has a beard, and wears glasses (well not the women). Or they are just very artsy farsty. The families seem so current, young mom and dad, living some sort of professional life in the city, but Brooklynites by night. Not to mention that I do live around the corner from PRATT, and so many amazing artist are there. Everyone has a dog, so I fit right in, sometimes, I talk to the other dog owners on the streets for an half hour. I love the sense of neighborhood I am getting here. The restaurants, coffee shops, wine bars, and little boutiques, are so interesting, and inspiring. I have lived all over the globe, including in New York --Uptown, Astoria, Mid Town-Manhattan, but I think I found my home. A place that I would love to have roots, no matter where my career might lead me. I also am obsessed with the row of "Cosby Show" style Brownstones up and down my neighborhood. Makes me dream, even bigger, cause I would love to own one. Everyday, I meet new people, costume designers, painters, musicians, poets, film makers, and it inspires me the actor even more. I wasn't sure if New York City was a place I wanted to live, but Brooklyn, has confirmed it for me! Own a place in Brooklyn, and catch the train to Manhattan! I am going to make myself into a Brooklynite! What is a Brooklynite you might ask? Well I did some homework and looked it up for you. Brooklynites are natives of Brooklyn who often have had ancestry in Brooklyn for generations and speak with a Brooklyn accent. I have no ancestry, here, and no accent, but if I lay down roots, I'm sure I can make that happen!

Haiti

Just wanted to send out a prayer to the country of Haiti, and to hope everyone donates and helps support the relief fund, for this country in need. If you live under a rock, Haiti, was hit with a 7.0 massive earthquake. Which scares me in general, after being in like 10 earthquakes, (small ones) in Tokyo Japan. I was terrified, and I can't imagine what they are going through. With all the causalities, and homes crushed, etc. Mother Nature can be no joke, and I'm sending out prayers! Sorry for the disturbing images at the top of this entry, but sometimes we need to be disturbed to wake up, and get involved!

TIP: WANNA GET INVOLVED, EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS. TEXT THE WORD "HAITI" TO 90999. IT IS 10 BUCKS THAT GOES TO THE RELIEF FUND! IT IS SAFE, EASY, AND GETS ADDED TO YOUR WIRELESS BILL!

Who Would Have Thunk?

I am so popular in my neighborhood, everyone, can't get enough of J.R. Whittington. All the smiles, the winks, the hair flinging, the women are all about me. NOT!!!!!!!! They don't pay me any attention, people only know me, because of Brewster. He is officialy a chick magnet! They stop, they wink, they stare, they smile, they flirt, "what a cute dog", "is he a yorkie", "I love his winter coat", "I love your dog"!!!! No love for J.R. Whittiington, only the stud on the leash! He has the women in my neighborhood wrapped around his paw! I know my dog is cute, but I never expected this much attention! He is the mac daddy, and is amazing, at his way with beautiful women. Not only does he have all the women, but the female dogs, love him as well. I am the most popular dog owner in Brooklyn, Brewster, the ladies man,,,well the ladies dog! Who would have thunk?

Letters To The Jail

When I was a young boy, around the age of 14, I had many responsibilities. One of them was to babysit my three little first cousins. They are good kids, so it was easy to do. I love my family, and my cousins more than I might say at times. I fondly remember watching them grow up to be the outstanding young men they have become! I remember there smiling faces, and there spoiled cries. I remember the games we played as kids, and I remember just connecting with my cousins, and trying so hard to be a good role model. Now my cousins are grown up men with kids. The middle child of three boys, I used to baby sit, is now going to prison. Where did we go wrong as a family? Why is he living up to the statics that people have placed on us? I know how tough it must be to grow up, and deal with your peers. As I said before, I remember getting jumped as a kid on the way home from school. I remember people trying to get me to sell drugs. I remember me wanting to fit in, but being so different, and not stooping down to peer presure. All of us, as family, well most of us, have overcome that, and become amazing pillars of the community. To see one of them fail, is so hard for me to take! He went to college for a year, and is so spoiled and can have whatever he wants! Anything he wanted, his life to be, he could have become. Now, he is in prison for three to six years, which is a terrible dark place. You do the crime, I guess you have to do the time! I just wish he would have went down a different avenue of life. As he goes down to the jail, leaving his 3 month old baby, alone, without a father, for who knows how long. I send a prayer, to GOD, that he finds a trade, and comes out learning from his mistakes. I don't want to lecture my little cousin, I'm here to, hopefully give him hope, to do the right thing. I'm sure he knows what he has done is wrong! I just will never understand why, he would do that to himself? Now I write letters to jail!

Faith and Fear

GOD, wants me to get the message about being fearful of the unknown. About having faith in him, and not to worry, that he is there for me! You see, I visited a new church this past Sunday, Emmanuel Baptist Church, which I enjoyed very much. The same message that was preached at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, was preached to me again from Emmanuel Baptist Church! It was about fear, which if you read my blog, is my biggest problem. The opposite of fear is faith, and I guess I need a whole lot of it. I keep getting the same message at different churches, and I just wanted to let GOD know that I hear him loud and clear. I'm working on more faith, and not to worry, so that what he has set me forth to do, I can do, clearly, and with a clean heart! I have a couple friends, who have been blogging about fear as well, and it is a common thread, in many of friends. Which is a slight comfort to me, and I am learning more and more everyday that I am not alone. I just need to have faith, and trust that GOD will not leave me! I know this, he has never left me behind, and for some reason I can't get it to stick. I'm writing this blog entry, as a testimony of how I am going to change this in mind, no matter how hard it is! Our GOD is an Awesome GOD!

OUCH!!!!!!!

I ate cookies, brownies, cakes, potato chips, and many other things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I enjoyed watching t.v. laying around, playing with my nieces, and doing absolutely nothing! I came back to New York City, and tried to slowly go to the gym, and do some cardio, which I don't know how in one and half weeks time I got so out of shape. Since I worked up to this point, which was yesterday, I thought I slowly brought myself back to the point where I was ready to train hard. I had my first training session back from the holidays, and my trainer is on a mission. You see, we only have eight more sessions left, meeting twice a week, before, I can't train anymore. I start my acting school at the end of the month, which is intensive Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm! Knowing this information, I think my trainer, wants to kill me before my closing date with him. He yelled at me about my diet, and not what you think, about my bad eating habits. You see I had to write down everything I eat, and give it to him. When you were a dancer and called fat your whole life, you tend to not want to eat as much as you should. He wants me to eat so much more, since, I want to gain muscle, minus the cookies, cakes, potato chips, just more good foods in general. Ugh, and this getting into my brain, and is a challenge for me. I think he fixed the problem, since, I don't like to eat as much, he made it, so I have to do a protein shake at night, and in the a.m., along with my meals. This I think I can handle, but we shall see! Anyway, my trainer, gave me the workout of my life the other day. I can barely do any of the excericises, and he kept making me circuit train, with lifting as well as kick boxing, and cardio, pushing me so hard. This is what I wanted right? Why do I feel like I'm going to throw up? Why does it hurt so much? No Pain No Gain right? Therefore, I woke up, and can't move at all. I almost texted my roommate to help me put on my clothes this a.m. My body is so sore, and now I am heading to get a massage. I think my personal trainer (Who I love btw) is on CRACK!!!!!!!

The Search is on...

Everyone knows how much I love the music ministry at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and I have been going there for many years. GOD is all over that place, and musically there is none like this, beautiful sanctity of a church! Even the people singing next to you, are awesome, well, sometimes. When the music cuts out, and it is accapella, and just our voices united as one, is what gets me the most at The Brooklyn Tabernacle. However, other spiritual things I am searching for is missing from this church. Some of the things they preach I strongly disagree with. I'm not going to agree with everything my church preaches, but there are some things that I just can't handle anymore! I will leave this cryptic part of my entry at that. However, I do plan on visiting, and seeing The Brooklyn Tabernacle, as much as I can. I am on a search through out New York City, hopefully Brooklyn, (Don't want to travel to far) for a new church home! I want a place smaller than Brooklyn Tabernacle, where I can get a sense of community. I don't need the music ministry to be as amazing, but they do have to be good enough for me to survive the service(LOL). I am sure I can find what I want in this big city that never sleeps. If I don't, Brooklyn Tabernacle will be there, and I will continue to go there, but I will never join. I am just in the middle ground with this church, as awesome as it may be. Today I am going to Emmanuel Baptist Church, right up the street from my apartment. Pray for me and my journey to find the perfect fit for me!

Happy New Year

I know this is a new year, and everyone has the big resolutions, to change parts of there lives. Hahahaha, I laugh only because nine times out of ten, those big lists don't work. However, I don't want to bring anyone down, you can change. My big thing is if you are going to make a change, why wait until the New Year? Just do the damn the thing, when you decide you don't like whatever it is that you are doing! That is why this year, my New Years Resolution began, whenever, I wanted to do or change something in my life. Everyone laughed at me as I went to the gym the day before, the day before that, and New Years Day. "Just wait until the New Year, it is the holidays enjoy it"! Yes, I agree, and I will enjoy the holidays, but I'm serious about gaining 10 more pounds of muscle, so I begin now. I also feel like, the New Year began for me, when the tour closed. I had a long list of things I wanted to do, and change, when I got to New York City. I went out and began that journey, and am now doing it! Yes, I can say it is a new year, and it is 2010, but my changes, happen all year around. Why wait? Procrastinate, and never do anything I set forth to doing. Yes I am human, and I do fail at things I set forth to do, (Such as learning Spanish.UGH)and when I fail, I pray, and just try all over again! "If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again". Such is life as a man on the planet we call Earth! Nevertheless, good luck my friends on your resolutions, and may all your dreams come true in 2010!