The Power of a Name - Crazy Sexy Diet, Day 6

One of the side effects the author of Crazy Sexy Diet wrote that I might experience while doing the 21 Day Cleanse is feeling emotional. That has certainly been the case today. I fought back tears a couple of times before lunchtime.

This morning, I was teary thinking about my late step-dad, John. I really was missing him. He's the person who gave me the nickname Starshine, which is my favorite nickname ever.

I believe very strongly in the power of naming your child well. When we were considering names for the boys, we took into consideration both if we liked the sound of the name, as well as if we liked the meaning of the name. Somehow, it seems that the names we are given have the power to impact us, for better or for worse--not only our literal names, but also the names people call us (good and bad), and nicknames!

This morning, I was just feeling so touched by the meaning of my beloved nickname. John was such an encourager to me when it came to following my acting dreams. I'm sure that he chose the name Starshine for me, because it conjured up images of a big-time actress. He believed in the beauty of my dreams and supported me in my quest to go after them, and that has always meant so much to me. This morning, though, as I was thinking about John, I wondered what he might think about my life being on this side of my Hollywood journey. I left Hollywood never having won a big break, and certainly not having found stardom. (Although I'll be forever grateful for the myriad gifts God gave me while I was there: a husband!, an incredible acting teacher, a technique for acting on-camera, a renewed love for theatre acting, and some wonderful friends to name only a few.)

Without a doubt, John would still be proud of me. Without a doubt, I would still be his Starshine. And this morning, as I stood in this private moment, fighting back the tears, I realized that he didn't name me Starshine because he believed I would one day be a big star. He named me Starshine because he saw the light within my spirit, and he believed that I already was one.

That is the sweetest gift a father could give his daughter. My heart is filled with gratitude, and the floodgates have now let loose. Perhaps this diet isn't just cleansing my body, but also my soul.

Seeing Friends in California

Of course, one of the real treats of our So Cal vacation was getting to reconnect with some dear friends. Two of my closest friends that I made while living in LA were these two ladies, both named Jennifer.  :)  Jenn (on the left) is an awesome friend who just collected a masters degree in counseling on her way to completing a doctorate!  I'm very proud of her dedication to achieving her goals. Jen Disney (on the right) is my amazing and talented photographer friend. We are a couple of goofy gals when we get together. It's like our inner children come out to play. I think we connect because we both have artistic spirits. Check out her amazing wedding photography website here.

We were also able to meet up with our adorable friends Dave and Liz. Tell me they aren't precious:

We met in a small group through our church, and just hit it off from the get go!  Liz is also an actress, and it has been fun supporting each other as we share a similar life path.

I am always amazed by friendships that are able to pick up right where they left off. That is what I have in my friendship with Liz. It was so great to sit across the table from them and have really great fellowship over a two hour lunch after not having seen each other for the past five months.

We had a few other meet-ups with friends while we were in town, but these are the only ones for which I have photos. It was really great to see everyone! 

"...a sweet friendship refreshes the soul." ~Proverbs 27:9

TexaCaliEspañYorker

I once heard former New York mayor say (and this is paraphrased): You move to New York, and after a while you start talking a little faster and walking a little faster, and lo and behold, you're a New Yorker!

My roots are in Texas. That is where I grew up. Texas taught me about friendliness, smiling, climbing trees, and walking and dancing in boots.

My early adulthood was spent in New York. Not only did New York teach me to walk and talk a little bit faster, but it pushed me to my limits, and in many ways, it showed me what I am made of.

In my late 20s, I lived for a year in Spain. Spain taught me how to be a straight-shooter. It also taught me that I was guapa and the virtue of being tranquila.

During my final weeks in California, I pondered what about my 3.5 years there made me a little bit more Californian. California made me a better (if not more aggressive) driver, a bit more liberal, a wife (!), and a person who is surprised when the sun isn't shining and it's not 70 degrees outside.

There is so much to appreciate about life in California. For me, it is the place I went to pursue one dream (acting) and found another (marriage). It has the most glorious weather, and I completely understand why so many people endure the awful traffic just to live in that oh-so-perfect climate. The gorgeous aesthetic of nature in So Cal is reflected in its people, who take pride in looking stylish--both men and women. The soothing rhythm of the ocean waves make for a laid-back lifestyle--one where people understand good and bad "vibes", and where the word "dude" has as many nuances as "How you doin'?" has to a New Yorker.

At the end of the day, though, I moved to LA because I didn't want to be 80 years old sitting in my rocker on the porch, saying to myself, "Why didn't you just try?".

While I didn't land on the sitcom of my dreams, I did get to do some fulfilling acting work. 

I went to Los Angeles. I learned how to act for the camera. I landed a few acting jobs (some paying and some not).  Funny enough, my two favorite jobs there were actually theatre jobs, not on-camera jobs--not a bad thing to learn about myself.  All that to say...I have no regrets. I'll have a satisfying answer to give my 80 year old self, who I have a sneaking suspicion won't be beating herself up at all!

When I was young, I remember hearing a story about a young girl who loved her plastic pop beads. She popped them together everyday and wore them as a necklace.  One day, her father noticed that she was growing up and had gotten a little too old for her plastic pop bead necklace.  He sat her down and told her so. She threw a fit, because she loved her pop beads so. Eventually, though, she let go of them, and her father gave her a new string of pearls, fitting for the young lady she had become.

I can't help but wonder if LA was my pop beads and maybe, just maybe, this new chapter in Texas is my pearls.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

Transition

You may or may not know that over the past ten months, Hubs has been looking for a new job. He has worked for the past 19 years for a wonderful college ministry, and about a year and a half ago, he graduated with a masters degree from seminary. His desire has been to find a new job in a church in some kind of a pastoral role.

Our preference has been to find something in the Los Angeles area because we both love it here, and for me, it is the professional market that I moved here to work in.  From the beginning of Hubs' search, we have prayed that God would direct us to the right job for him by opening and closing doors. Boy did He ever answer--He closed 16 doors here in the Southern California area!  :)  We knew that if God was faithful to close that many doors that He must have had something pretty special in mind for the door that He would eventually open for us. We decided to expand our search criteria to include New York and Houston, since those are good markets for acting, and my family is in Houston.

In early October, Hubs submitted his resume to a church in Houston that began to show serious interest in him. A month ago, they flew us both out to see the church, meet the people, and for Hubs to interview. To make a long (and very awesome) story short, we loved the church, and they offered Hubs the job! 

We are feeling a mixed bag of emotions here. While we are sad to leave LA, our friends and the life we have so enjoyed here; we are very excited about the future. Hubs is thrilled about his new job opportunity, and I can't wait to live close to my mom, sister & bro-in-law, and of course, little Sam! Hubs is starting his new job March 1.

Meanwhile, we still have some time to live it up here in So Cal, so I decided to really go for it, acting-wise and audition away until it's time to move. I wrote a post yesterday about a dream I had the night before. Many of you said you were bummed that it was just a dream. Well, I think the reason I had that dream is because I found out on Monday afternoon that I have been cast in a play at The Neighborhood Playhouse Palos Verdes!  It is called Our Leading Lady, and this will be the first major production of the show since it opened in New York. I will be playing the washed up ingenue, Clementine Smith, who never arrives places on time and enjoys her whisky a little too much.  Fun, huh? ;)

My play will run February 19 - March 8, so Hubs will move to Texas before me, and then I'll join him as soon as my play closes. As stressful as I'm sure that will be, I'm grateful for his supportiveness and I'm thrilled to be able to leave LA on such a splendid note!

I need to write another post about the amazing ways that God answered our prayers by opening this door for us in Texas, but for now, let me just say that we are so thankful for the opportunities He has opened up for us. To God be the glory!

¡Mirad quien cenó conmigo!

Look who I got to have dinner with a couple nights ago!

This is my friend Angie. I hadn't seen her for four years!  She and I lived in the same city in Spain during my time there. We worked for different organizations, but shared the same group of friends. And when you're in a foreign country and you find another English speaker, there is instant friendship.  :)  Lucky for me, she is in town this week for a business meeting, so we got to meet up for dinner!

We had a great time catching up on old times. She just returned to life in the States after eight years of living in España. That kind of commitment to life overseas amazes me. I was there just long enough to get my cultural feet wet. She stayed long enough to be as much of a cultural insider as you can be without being born there. It was a great reunion dinner that left me wondering why in the world we didn't hang out more during my time there!

Great to see you, Angie!

P.S. Facebook rocks!  If you don't have an account, you totally need to sign up for one today. I have reunited with friends who I had lost hope of ever contacting again!  And thanks to Facebook, I knew Angie would be in LA...thus our reunion! 

I Feel the Earth Move Under my Feet

But thankfully, the sky didn't come tumbling down.

I was in a dressing room this morning at a local thrift store, when I felt the floor shaking under my feet. "Is this an earthquake?", I thought. And then there was a big jolt. I assumed a surfer-type position with my arms out to balance, as I heard glass shattering from the breakables that fell from the shelves.

My heart was racing. All of the native Californians who knew what to do ran out of the store and stood in the parking lot for a while in case there were any after shocks. After awhile, everyone came back in and it was business as usual.

Hubs came and found me at the store to make sure I was okay (our cell phone service was out for about an hour after the quake). He told me that a few picture frames got knocked down off of shelves in our house, but other than that, everything is fine. Thank God we were both safe. 

As I drift off to bed with six large framed photos of our wedding hanging over our heads, I'm feeling really good about our decision to hang them with earthquake-proof hooks.

Hi there, Derfwads!

I couldn't be more tickled and pleased to be a featured guest today on the fabulous Mrs. G's blog, Derfwad Manor. If you are here for the first time today via Derfwad Manor, welcome! I'm happy you're here!

I'm flying high right now because I just received the most wonderful news: I've been cast in a play! I had my audition Tuesday night and the callback last night, after which I was offered the part of Teresa in How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn. So if any of you want to see me perform live and in person (British accent and all!), you can come see me at the Long Beach Playhouse Aug. 29th - Oct. 4!

I'm so thankful and encouraged by this good news. It's been four years since I have been in a play, and this will be my first show since joining the stage union, Actors' Equity Association. 

Joy abounds!  Have a great day!

Stranded on Space Mountain...A Science Non-Fiction Adventure

Once upon a time, in a Magic Kingdom nestled in the heart of Orange County, Prince Hubs and Princess Starshine were celebrating their first wedding anniversary.

As soon as they arrived at this enchanted place, they couldn't wait to have an outer space adventure on Space Mountain. They boarded their space craft and...LIFT OFF! The Prince and Princess were having a royal time flying through the Milky Way...

...when things came to a sudden halt. The space craft didn't seem to be going anywhere. In fact, the couple was sitting in the dark, just waiting. They were scared...real scared.

Suddenly, the lights came on! The many passengers on the ride were perplexed at how the lights could suddenly come on in the darkness of outer space, and some of them even whined out loud--something about the illusion being ruined. It all worked out, though, when suddenly two beautiful flight attendants appeared...

...and they pushed our space shuttle back to safely land on earth WITH THEIR BARE HANDS!!!

The princess thought they must have been super-heroines! It was a super-fun space odyssey that the happy couple will never forget.

Two Good Movies

Over the past several days, Hubs and I have seen two fantastic movies.

The first was Bella. It is a sweet film about the relationship between a waitress (who discovers she is pregnant with an unplanned baby) and a cook at the restaurant she works at (who is not the father of the pregnancy, and who is carrying around a dark issue from his past). It is a moving story about their journey as friends and how they ultimately help each other find redemption in their tragic situations.

The second film we saw tonight at a special screening at the Writers' Guild Theatre in Beverly Hills. 3:10 to Yuma is an awesome western with another redemptive story. The movie is about a lot of things, but mostly it is about a man whose family misunderstands his integrity as weakness, and the amazing journey he takes with his son that rights that misunderstanding.

I highly recommend both movies. Hubs also enjoyed both movies, so both would work for a date night!

Friday Reflection

Sometimes when Friday arrives, I feel so relieved because not much has been going on that week work-wise. The weekend is like a kind voice that says, "I'm here now, so you have a good excuse for the next two days to not be working."

Other times, my week is jam packed so full of auditions, class, rehearsals, etc, that the weekend arrives like a voice that says, "Surprise! I'm here! Chill out for a couple!"

Last week was definitely like the latter. This week was much more like the former. Last week was full of activity and momentum. This week...not so much.

Yesterday, I was up in Los Angeles for acting class. After class, I met a friend for dinner, but I had a couple hours to kill between class and dinner, so I went to the mall. In the midst of the normal activity of walking from store to store, David Hasselhoff walked right past me. As I trailed behind him (we were walking in the same direction), I heard people saying hello to him and shouting out, "David!". It was kind of surreal--and a nice reminder that celebrities are people, too. I was looking for a lesson in my celebrity sighting, and all I can figure is that it was meant to encourage me.

Some days, I feel like I'm just not doing enough. But yesterday, I realized how much I have done. I moved halfway across the country to be in this town. I have learned a solid technique for film acting over the last two years. I have a commercial agent and I'm eligible to join Screen Actors Guild (two goals that I set for myself when I moved here). I mean, seriously, David Hasselhoff shops at my mall! I'm out here! I'm doing this thing! No regrets. Pursuing my dreams. Suddenly, life looks pretty good.

Mom and Me

My mom is in town visiting me this week. Yesterday, we had a day at the sea. First, we drove down to La Jolla so that I could show my mom the place we got engaged.

Mom in front of waves breaking on the rocks:

Revisiting the scene of the proposal:

After spending a few hours in La Jolla, we drove up the coast to meet Husby at the beach in Oceanside.

He surfed...

...and I boogied!

Today, Mom and I were city girls.

She visited my acting class with me, which was fun, and then we drove to Beverly Hills for dinner at my favorite restaurant, Cafe Flore:

Pretty mama:

No visit to Beverly Hills is complete without a potty stop at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel!!!

Oh, yea. Mom was workin' it on Rodeo Drive. :)

Friday will be our day in the 'burbs. TJ Maxx...here we come!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Everyday Driver

It is always very exciting here in L.A. when someone in the entertainment industry quits their dreaded day job to pursue what they are really meant to do. To most "sensible" people, this is a very bizarre phenomena, as they have no category for such a move whatsoever. We artsy types, however, give each other big hugs and shouts of congratulations--"You quit your job?!! That's FANTASTIC!"

I gave one such congratulatory shout to my friend Todd Deeken a few months ago when he left his day job to pursue his dream job. The amazing thing about Todd, though, is that he is already making his dream a reality ... reality television, that is!

He and his good friend Paul Schmucker have teamed up to take their act on the road...literally! They have combined their passions for entertainment and cars to create their very own show. It's called Everyday Driver, and it's awesome. Check out their website and watch the teaser for their pilot episode. Hopefully, we'll be seeing them on television very soon!

Go, Todd! (But not too fast!)

Black and White Party

On Saturday, some of our friends threw us an "Engagement Party with a Surprise 40th Birthday Twist". It was a lot of fun, and a great way for our friends in LA/OC to celebrate with us, since Texas is a wee bit far for so many of them to travel on for our wedding. eSuitor didn't know it, but everyone was asked to wear combinations of black and/or white to the party (black for his 40th b-day and white for our wedding). I have to say, it resulted in quite a chic looking crowd! Here are some fun pics of the day. Even the decorations were black and white!

The black and white theme resulted in some fun retail therapy for many of us!

My friends T and C. She totally wins the award for cutest outfit...love her polka dot top! We have known each other since college days. They are now married and lead a book discussion group that I am part of here in LA.

eSuitor with his cousins, who have become very dear to us.

My former boss and good friend, Blancacica.

My former roommate, Mary, drove in all the way from Vacaville! So sweet of her! Love you, Mary!

Here's the birthday boy, looking quite pleased with his chocolate cake! He loves chocolate cake so much, we decided to make our wedding cake chocolate...why not? I much prefer chocolate cake to white cake.

If you haven't seen the "through the years" photo parade of eSuitor's first 40 years, check out yesterday's post!

Confetti Trees and More!

One of the most striking things about life in Southern California is the variety of trees and flowers that grow and bloom here all through the year. Being from Houston, I was accustomed to tall evergreen firs. So the flora and fauna of So Cal is new and different to me! I took all of these photos on a walk this weekend with eSuitor.

The Royal Palm is one of my favorites here.

The jasmine growing in front of this little dream house smelled so fragrant.

The tall pointy trees are called cyprus (not to be confused with the cypress trees of Texas). I like to call the cyprus here "Tuscany Trees" because they remind me of the trees that dot Italian hillsides. The purple tree on the right is the variety I am currently having a love affair with. They are called Jacaranda, and every May and June, they are covered with their breath-takingly beautiful purple buds.

I like to call them "confetti trees" because as the buds begin to fall off, the ground looks as if it has been littered with lovely purple confetti!

Double Celebrity Sighting!

If you want to see the celebrities when you come to LA, don't look for them in Hollywood. Instead, you need only to hang out in the valley...at craft stores, apparently. Today, within an hour of each other, I had two celeb sightings. First, I saw Melissa Joan Hart at a scrapbooking store.

About an hour later, as I was getting ready to walk out of a fabric store, a striking woman with presence walked in. I thought to myself, "I don't know who she is, but she seems important." I then looked to the door and the same man who held it open for her was still holding it open for me. I'm not even kidding!

Foiled!

On Saturday evening, eSuitor and I went out for a seafood dinner at Gladstone's in Malibu. The portions are ginormous, so a doggy bag is practically obligatory. The cool thing is that when they pack up your leftovers, they wrap it up in a foil sculpture.

My fish 'n' chips were wrapped up as a whale, complete with spouting water!!!

The Restaurant Meme

J at "Thinking About" tagged me to do this meme. This will be a fun exercise for me, because I have definitely lived in LA long enough to eat at some terrific restaurants!

Here are the rules:

1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the state and country you’re in.
Nicole (Sydney, Australia)

velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)

Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Olivia (London, England)

ML (Utah, USA)

J (California, USA)

Starshine (California, USA)

2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location (locally). Some of these are really nice, special occassion type place. Others are good date places. While others are inexpensive staples.

Cafe Flore - My favorite little restaurant in Beverly Hills. When I first moved to Los Angeles, my mom, sister, and I discovered this fabulous restaurant. It is owned and run by French staff. I would describe the food at Franco-Californian. Every dish I've ever tried there has been delicious. The prices are reasonable, and the ambience is quaint and tres French! I really like the lentil soup, the fresh fruit platter, the veggies julienne, and the raviolis. The artwork on the walls of the Eiffel Tower and the Moulin Rouge let you imagine, if only for a moment, that you are dining in Paris. Be sure to check out the ladies room when you go. It has the most adorable signs on the wall that read, "Ooo La La" and "It's all about moi"!

The Restaurant at The Getty Center - The Getty Center in Los Angeles has a cafe (cafeteria style) and a lovely gourmet restaurant. I'm talkin' about the restaurant. This place has special significance for me because eSuitor took me here on our fifth (yes, I counted) date. The Getty Center is a free-admission art museum and garden. Parking is $7. Upon arriving at the Getty, eSuitor informed me that he had made lunch reservations for us at the restaurant. I told him how thoughtful and generous that was of him, and his response was, "Tracy, it's part of the full Getty experience.... I'm not going to bring you to a place like this and then buy you a burger." Holy Yum!--both the food and the company. Succulent lamb on my plate and delectible eye candy sitting across from me. Mmm, mmm, MMM! Don't forget to make reservations!

A view of the Getty Center from the gardens.

La Vie En Rose - A lovely special occasion/romantic dinner restaurant in Brea (North Orange County). eSuitor took me here for my birthday dinner, which was also the night he became my hero. The food was incredible-I had a filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagas. The atmosphere romantic. An accordian player meandered through the restaurant. I really hope we can go back there one day under, ahem, less gassy cirmcumstances.

Oui, oui! Tres romantique!

IHOP - eSuitor and I have a weekend tradition of eating out for breakfast. I love it! My favorited dish is the Pancake Combo: Harvest Grain 'n' Nut pancakes, egg white scramble, and two strips of bacon. Yessiree!

Ole! - A rockin' tapas bar in Studio City. Candle lit atmosphere with lively music. Artwork of Spanish scenes. They really captured the essence of Spain here. The tapas are off the hook, and the sangria ain't bad either! This is a great place to have a lengthy conversation, as you linger through a lovely evening of good company and good food.

A mural of the running of the bulls hanging in "Ole!"

3. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

Sharon in Texas

The Cachinnator, because I really want to read about the cuisine in Waco, TX.

Buttercup in New York City (when she returns from India)

Anyone else who is interested! I'm having a hard time thinking about which of my blog buddies have already done this one. :)

Thoughts from the very top o' the morning

Last night, I got together with a group of Texas friends that meets once every other week to discuss a book. I didn't read the chapter, but I was really in the mood be with people last night, so I went anyway. As it turns out, the hostess of the group was leaving to go out of town early this morning, so she was back in her bedroom packing during the group discussion. Since I didn't have anything to contribute to the discussion, I went back to her room and we had two hours of much-needed girl talk. My one major missing puzzle piece out here in LA is girl friends! So whenever I get the chance to connect with another woman and have a heart-to-heart, it is like water to my soul!

After the group finished their discussion of the book, several people stayed to watch American Idol and LOST on TiVO. I have to say that I was rather sad that Sanjaya was voted off Idol. He won me over with his quirky personality. I became so intrigued each week at his wonderful ablility to be himself. His voice may not have been the best one on the show (although it was still a good voice), but I couldn't resist his reinvented hairdos each week. Or his smile. Proof that accepting and being yourself is a powerful gift to the world. I much prefer an underdog with quirks to a polished "cool" with no depth to one's personality. His tears at the end of the show were beautiful.

Needless to say, I got home late last night, and fell into my comfy bed. I love my memory foam pillow! I awoke this morning with that wonderful feeling of restedness and continued to lay there for another half hour, drifting in and out of consciousness--and thinking that the wonderful sense of rest that I felt in my bed is the same way I feel in my relationship with eSuitor. Thank You, Lord, for the precious gifts You give! Thank You, also, for the rest and peace I find in You.

Have a great day, y'all!

The Price

If you find yourself in Los Angeles this weekend, and you're looking for something fun to do, why not come see me on the big screen?! The short film I shot last month for the 168 Film Project will be screened this weekend at the 168 Film Festival. My film, The Price, will be shown Saturday morning as part of "Screening #1" from 9am - 10:10am at The Alex Theater in Glendale. Ticket info can be found here.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Odd Reality

Last night, after watching the Academy Awards on TV with eSuitor, I found myself saying, “I think I should drive home by an alternate route because Oscar traffic is going to be ridiculous.”

Photo found here.