Transitions

New York, NY – March 18, 2010 – Spring. What a wonderful time of transition. I look out the kitchen window into the back yard and the wood on the deck is visible for the first time since Christmas. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration. But it’s nice to see spring really here. My memory is still sharp from when it was 22 degrees and the wind was howling about 60 miles an hour. It’s going to be 70 today.

Shazam!

Inching closer and closer to a permanent withdrawal from Nashville. I still have a few possessions there. I just got approval from Medicare to have an “eye lift” because my vision in my right eye is affected. I could fly down to Nashville and get the surgery done and dispose of things while I’m at it. Or I could get it done here.

I now have a New York State driver’s license. Talked things over with my friend Lizzie last night, longtime young friend of Lois and me. I’m halfway inclined to just walk away from the “stuff”. I did something like that when I was 30 and moved off to Europe for an extended period. I’m not thinking of doing Europe again. But New York City is getting more and more my home.

Oddly, I do not actually sleep in NYC. I’m here across the river in Elizabeth, NJ. And while it extends my day and enables me to walk a couple extra miles each day (to and from the Elizabeth train station), living here with Dixie and Richard is actually quite nice.

Work-wise, I feel closer and closer to success as a commercial actor. That’s where I’m placing my focus. Not photography, although I still shoot a little. Not writing, although I do still write some. But I came here with a three-pronged approach and wasn’t sure which would be “the one”.

I’ve now made the discovery: performing is "the one". I got interviewed by a modeling agency yesterday. They’ll be sending me out on print jobs.

The other day, a fellow actor told me that from an early age, he just wanted to be noticed. And now he’s quite successful from making commercials. His saying that resonated in me in a powerful way: I also like to be noticed. Always have. I started in radio at age 15. And television a couple years later.

His saying that just underscored something in me. It gave me permission to be who I am: a performer. I like being noticed. That personality trait was hard-wired by the Manufacturer.

Quite empowering.

Copyright 2010 James C. Lewis