ON A Day In The Life

My days are always different. There are a few constants: meditating, dogs, walking, writing, social media, the subway, and being creative. Those are pretty standard. Otherwise? Anything's game. Just the way I like it! Here's a look at how today went down:

8:36 am: Alarm goes off. Not even close to the time I actually got up. After I finally wake, I meditate for 20 minutes. First thing in the morning, and non-negotiable. Lady and I revel in the glory of a new day by playing and snuggling for a few minutes then she heads back under the covers (literally) and I get to showering, dressing, and breakfast-ing. I do a bit of work for my first job.

11 am: Down to the West Village. Why don't I come here more? It's so cute and welcoming and doesn't feel at all like Manhattan and.. oh, now I'm lost and recall why I don't come here more often. I race to make my first audition today on time.

11:30 am: First audition. It's on-camera and I don't think the racing here did me any favors but when I mention it they laugh and assure me the camera is unable to show sweat. They're honestly the nicest casting team I've ever auditioned for. I want the job. Fifteen minutes later, I leave, get lost again, and head back uptown.

12 pm: Lady and I adventure to Central Park. It's so beautiful with the trees and flowers in full bloom. Everyone is so happy, alert, faces tilted up toward the sun. We walk for a long time and make friends with a woman and her two large dogs. She had her first when the second needed a home immediately and she took him in. That was that. The boys are so clearly brothers and I find myself learning more life lessons from dogs.

1-2 pm: Catching up on work, emails, posting.

2 pm: We take a lunch break. I re-create my favorite meal from Portland, (veggie) hot dogs with hummus and avocado. Don't knock it till you try it, it's unreal. Lady and I watch Hart of Dixie for approx 7 minutes.

2:30 pm: Back on the train, downtown again but the east side this time. I get to my agents and wait a few minutes before recording an audition, and chat with one of the assistants before heading back out. I meet a girlfriend a block away to lend her my ipad and have all of three minutes to spare before walking uptown again.

3:30 pm: Stop into Starbucks for my secret weapon: tall 2 pump soy chai. I go over my notes for my meeting and chug that sugar-water like it's my job. Since I've been meditating, I need way less caffeine but still can't fully quit the 'bucks. The atmosphere just gets me.

4 pm: Arrive at the HomePolish office and have a great meeting with my boss. I get so excited talking about interior design that I have to remind myself this is a business meeting. He gets just as excited so it's cool.

5:30 pm: Off the train and back out the door with Ladybugs. We visit Lincoln Center and make friends with a tiger striped pup, this gorgeous Pit/Boxer mix, and as we walk away it makes me laugh how dog owners always exchange their pups names and info but never their own.

6 pm: Second Meditation of the day. This practice has changed my life in a way I can't really explain. My best attempt is to say that aside from being able to handle whatever is thrown at me with grace, and feeling calmer, there's this rising up that happens. Like I just keep growing, gaining strength, wisdom, and patience. I'm not great at explaining it but Emily is, so watch her videos.

6:40 pm: I pick up my newest doggie client and we go for our first walk. Sweet Caesar is a gorgeous boy, and full of wriggling around, so the clearest photo I could get is posted here.

7:20 pm: I chat with my mom while walking home and get back to working. Dinner is made sometime around 9 and at present moment, it's 10:30 and I've still got a handful of blog posts to write (for my job, not here) and a schedule to set for tomorrow. It's supposed to be my easy day and so far it's looking slightly insane.

I wrote someone a reply last night to the question of what jobs am I working on right now. Sometimes I forget how insane it is that I'm an auditioning and working actor, plus working for two interior design companies (on opposite coasts), plus running my own dog nannying business, plus running my own blog and website and social media, maintaining a social life, caring for Lady, and doing regular life stuff like cleaning and cooking. When I looked at it all written out last night, I laughed.

Awhile ago, I had a lot of free time. So much. It was overwhelming. But this calm, quiet voice told me to appreciate it while I had it because I would never have it again. And so the times when I felt like I was going to lose my mind or felt painfully lonely, I would trust that voice and relax into it. And now, being on the other side, in the mayhem that my gut promised me, I can't tell you how happy I am that I did and how happy I am that I had that time. Okay, friends, time to get back to work and get some sleep. How are your days looking lately? Do you have a schedule? Tell me about it in the comments! xo