Month: September 2014

Embrace who you REALLY are…..!

HastonHelpingHands1 Comment

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to tell you that I had an audition! I know that I should be ever so cool about it and not mention it but that just isn’t me and I don’t think it ever will be.

I am an actress so an audition “should” be old hat to me.  In fact it is not, nothing could be further from the truth.

Every time I have an audition, I am reminded it is not up to me whether I am cast or not. I am like all other artists, full-time auditioner and part-time player. When you run the numbers that is an easy equation to follow. Living in the hope of getting the part is very exciting and I wish I could capture that feeling, that adrenaline rush I feel after an audition is over and it went well but even more exciting, is the idea that I could be cast! Now, I wait in anticipation……. and you get to wait with me cause I don’t have a tidy end to this post.

Love is laundry

HastonHelpingHands1 Comment

Dear Readers, When I was younger. say 16 or so, I thought about who I would marry. I wanted to marry several successful actors and foreign diplomats (love to travel) including Scott Bakula mainly because I figured as his wife, I would get to be a guest star on “Quantum Leap”. At the time, I did not realize that things don’t work that way in the business but I digress.

I did not marry Scott Bakula, have not even met him (yet) but the reason he comes to mind is I was thinking about time travel and if you had told the me of 11 years ago that I would
be melted by a man doing my laundry I would have laughed in your face. I had dreams of far-flung exotic getaways, french novels and chocolate, lots of fancy Belgian chocolate because it was so far afield of my real-life experience.

Instead, I married the man who does my laundry, goes to five stores to buy me fudge rounds because I barely mention that I want them but most importantly prizes my happinesss far above his own which he shows in little and large ways every day.
He learned how to make gumbo paleo so I could still eat it. He wrote me a love letter that never fails to move me when I read it and he is constantly surprising me with his generosity to others.

So in this case, my dreams were NOTHING compared to reality.

Love is laundry, and laughing at something only the two of us find funny, too many inside jokes to count, and every day I fall a little more in love with my husband.

Jeremy, you are Awesomesauce!

be melted

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Really, you may be the only one brave enough to ask.

HastonHelpingHands2 Comments

Dear Readers,

Some of the hardest things to say include-

1. I am sorry

2. I was wrong

3. I love you.

Today’s post concerns something a little more important. I can’t go into the details but a situation at required I ask a question, and then another question and then another question and to follow up and ask more clarifying question and find out more information and then ask more questions. I have long had the nickname “Question Girl” and I wear it proudly. There are many ways to learn but I find that one is the most effective way for me to retain knowledge.

It occurred to me as this particular situation wrapped up, What would have happened if I didn’t ask that question which led us to resolution? Hopefully someone else would have done it but we don’t know.

So before you think, “gosh, this is a stupid question” “I can’t possibly ask that”

“what will they think about me if I ask” “will I seem stupid if I ask this question”

“Shouldn’t I already know this”

remember this story

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.  There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.  Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.  Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job.  Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.  It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

So the important job was asking a question in this case. This is not so much about congratulating myself but let’s face it, (it is a little about that) it’s rather an opportunity to showcase the opportunity for YOU to always ask questions.

To paraphrase my acting teacher. “Be patient with yourself and be curious about the process” It constantly amazes me how that is good life advice too.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Really, you may be the only one brave enough to ask.

Think about it!

Feel the fear and do it anyway…

HastonHelpingHandsLeave a comment

Okay, deep breath. I gave a speech in June in aid of getting better at giving speeches.

My friend, Ryan Avery just recently reminded me that the goal should always be to give a message from the heart. While this is a message from my heart, I also it to be effective, so I am posting it to all my readers (gasp!) in hopes that you will comment and give me feedback on what went well, what did not go well, what I could do better. In particular, I would like to focus on the points of strength you find and what you would suggest I leave out or expand upon in future speeches.

As I discuss in the speech (Spoiler Alert) – I have a BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL to give a TED TALK and would love your help in the process. This may be part of the speech I end up giving at Ted (flutters in my stomach, just typing that) but your feedback is greatly appreciated and vital to that process.

so here it is, tell me your thoughts. I know many people ask for feedback and they only want the good. I am actively seeking the good, the bad, and the ugly so let me have it, it is the ONLY way to grow.

 

Thank you in advance for taking the time- Please email me your feedback or comment below

jennifermckennasays@gmail.com