A little bit of a summery of our year so far!!!

Click to play

A taste!!!

I don't have the time, unfortunately, to tell you all about my most recent audition for Brooklyn College (sorry - I will soon). But thank you all SO much for the good luck!!!!! It did go well and I should know in a week or two.
I just wanted to say that New York is BEAUTIFUL in the spring and summer and I am SSOOOOOOOOOOO excited it is finally on it's way.
Dad is in town this week and on the weekend we went out to visit the Statue of Liberty again, with him.
It was a fabulous day and Daniel and I enjoyed showing Dad our neighborhood and our apartment. You ALL need to arrange a visit, NOW!!!!!!!
Anyway, I'll write again soon with details and more pics.
Love to you all, as always!!!!!
Taliesen.

Just a quick update...

Tomorrow I have an appointment to go to Brooklyn College and meet with Professor Vivier and the Acting teacher because they want to see me.... AGAIN!!!!
I've been told to go with a couple of modern monologues prepared and they want to work with me.
I honestly don't know how I feel about his... Grateful, nervous, a little scared.
Considering how sick I was on the day of my audition and callback, I am grateful to have another chance to show them who I am. I am, however, very scared as usual that they'll see me and decide DEFINITELY that they really DON'T like me. I mean, if I had gotten turned down a place in their course, I could tell myself that it really was because I was sick that day and didn't do my best work. NOW, if they turn me down, I'll really have to face up to the fact that they don't like me. THAT is not a prospect I want...
So, I'm just going to HAVE to go in there tomorrow, take this blessed opportunity by the horns, and KICK ASS!!! Simple as that really... I have no choice.... My hands are tied.

Wish me luck, all... This is it. Make or Break time!!!!!
Love to you all. As always.

Not really freaking out.... promise.

I mean, ok... I am, just a little bit, though.
Alright, so, I glued back on my nail and it looks fine and it'll hold for at least how long it'll take for my nail to grow a little longer. SO, one down!!!
I got my script and role for this one act I'm going to be in about a month from now. It's nothing big but it IS getting back on stage, and in NEW YORK, and it'll be fun and I'm SURE I'll meet some great people. So, although I didn't gripe about that yesterday it was a lack of good, not knowing and now I do, so GOOD!!!
Going to the gym after work... two down!!!
I kinda saved the day last night before I left work when our camera on location in Verginia broke and I helped locate a videographer in the area who was VERY helpful and they got all the shots they needed last night... because of me... so, today, my job sucks just a little less... THREE down!!!
I remembered my lunch today... four down!!!!
The dirty flood in our bathroom yesterday means I had to Uber-clean the bathroom, so, woke up this morning to a sparkling bathroom floor... that was kinda nice.
And it wasn't raining this morning...
Also, looked at the pics on my camera and I'm reminded of the good...
This is our apartment!!!
Please note all the photo albums that have just arrived from Australia...
Along with our fold-down couch (very comfy to sleep on for those of you thinking of visiting!!!) and pictures from home!!!!
And when you combine our apartment, which we both LOVE, with all our stuff that makes it feel like home, well... that's a happy.
Then, on top of all of that, I'm reminded we just celebrated Easter (we even got a visit from the Easter Bunny... Look what we found on our kitchen window ledge on Easter Sunday morning...)
So, I can't be down... I can't be depressed. This is the beginning of a new spiritual year, a time of rebirth. New beginnings, new promises, and new goals... This is a time for optimism!!!! So, what was I thinking??? This is going to be a great year!!! It is!!! It has to be!!!!
So, to all, a belated HAPPY EASTER!!!!!
Daniel and I send all our love and hope all of your dreams come true this year, also!!!!
Sending all our love, as always!!!
Taliesen and Daniel.
p.s. Don't you love our living room??? Don't you just love our apartment??? So happy there!!!! You all MUST visit.

All of the reasons my life SUX!!!!!!!!

The rain is oppressing, all my shoes leak, our toilet flooded our bathroom, my iPod got stolen, I haven't heard from Brooklyn College, my friends are all MIA, our tax return still hasn't come, my brother was vomiting blood, I forgot my lunch at home, my job still sux, our turtle died, haven't been to the gym in a week, I broke my second longest nail, daylight savings has screwed me out of talking to my friends, and Daniel and I haven't had fresh green veggies in over a WEEK!!!!!!!
I'm dying. All this crap is killing me. I am falling into a depression and I can't get up!!! AAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Now, I will explain all of the above... some of it, I admit, is not as bad as it sounds.
It is raining here in New York, HARD. It is that dark, dismal, rain that last for DAYS!!!!! And it is oppressive and depressing. Not to mention, my second point, NONE of my shoes protect from the wet. Not my sneakers, not my boots... I need to get myself a pair of gum-boots (I swear they are fashionable item in this city.... and, OH, SSOOOOOOOO necessary), but they are not in our budget...
This morning I woke up, cranky (didn't sleep well) and while in the shower had the joy of watching our toilet overflow and flood our bathroom. AWESOME!!! So, I had to stay and wait for the super, and then clean up and disinfect everything before leaving for work... yes, I was late. Thankfully, because of the rain, so was everyone else.
I have finally come to terms with (and stopped hoping it turns up or gets given back to me) the fact that my iPod was stolen last Tuesday, I think from my desk at work. It was engraved on the back, for crying out loud!!!! It was a birthday present from my loving husband and... and... it was REALLY FUN!!!!!! And now it's gone. It was meant to come back to me on Friday - Friday the 13th. My lucky day, remember?? But NO!!! Nothing. And now it's gone and I'm sad.
Also, on Friday the 13th - my lucky day - I was SUPPOSED to hear from Brooklyn College. I was supposed to be called or e-mailed to be told they wanted me to enroll in their school. But NO!!!! Nothing. No phone call, no e-mail, so now I'm just waiting and I don't know what to expect or when... and that SUX!!!!!
Then there's my friends. Of all my friends here in New York, half of them are out of town and the ones that ARE here have either taken bitch-pills recently or are out of town for work. Brandon doesn't know when he'll get back from LA, Stephen won't be back till OCTOBER... and everyone else is either not returning phone calls, busy, or SERIOUSLY acting horribly.... I think it's the weather, but it SUX!!!!!
And, not that it's going to be that exciting because the whole thing is already allocated to bills and overseas bills, but our tax return still hasn't come and it's getting VERY close to the END of the period it was meant to come in... There are so many ways in which we are screwed if it doesn't come in the next few days.
THEN, this weekend, I hear my bother, Josh, is taken to hospital because he was vomiting blood. They think he swallowed something but when they x-rayed him, they couldn't see anything. The hospital sent him home, saying that whatever it was will probably pass through his system (don't get me started on all the scary questions THAT possibility brings to mind). So, after freaking out for almost a day, I finally get the rest of the story. The doctors having told Jo that if Josh eats in the morning then he'll be fine, she tried to feed him breakfast and when unsuccessful, tried soft ice cream. He vomited that up, but with it came the plastic birthday cake candle holder that had been lodged in his throat and had cut him internally. He was very proud of finally coughing it up and calls it his "flower"... we are now, apparently, all ok.
The next two are pretty self explanitory. I left my lunch at home. That made me sad because I was looking forward to it. Thank God I have a travel tube of vegimite in my desk drawer and there were still breakfast bagels downstairs. However, NOW
I am upset because I don't even have enough vegimite left to have one more whole piece of toast. Then, that reminds me that we're almost out at home, too.... bbvvvvvvvvvvv.
My job does still suck. I almost feel invisible here, it SUX!!!!!
Yes, our turtle died. It actually happened a few weeks ago, and NO, it was NOT our fault. He had food, he had water... although, our apartment did get very hot for a couple of days in a row when the radiators would be turned on while we were out. I think he kind of got cooked. Or at least, just severely dehydrated... But he had water... I just don't understand and it makes me sad!!!!!
Again, the next couple are also self-explanatory...
Haven't been to the gym in a week, and feel fat and bloated and ugly and gross!!!!!! And, yesterday, I broke my REALLY long, pinky finger nail. And not even doing something laborious!!!! I was sitting on the couch, I moved my arm, my hand dragged along the couch fabrick for a SECOND, and then, half my fingernail sitting there next to me... SOOOO WRONG!!! I was JUST SITTING THERE!!!!! Very upset, I've been working so hard on growing my fingernails... arrgghh!!!
Now that daylight savings has changed to both countries I am now NEVER at work at the same time at my friends.... It used to be that at about 3 or 4 pm (a couple of hours before I head home) all my friends in Sydney would be arriving at their jobs and all get on messenger. So, I'd have several opportunities every week to have an hour or two-long catch up with my friends. Now, we're an hour earlier, their an hour later and we're NEVER on the net at the same time... I miss my friends. I miss just chatting on a regular basis, I miss talking about stupid, mundane stuff, I miss everyone and I'm lonely and sad, and if Daniel weren't here with me I don't know what I'd do... I miss everyone ssoooooo much.
And, with no money, Daniel and I haven't been able to afford fresh veggies in a week. I miss fresh, green veggies. I miss spinach, and broccoli, and beans. Having no money SUX ASS. I hate it and I'm miserable. And everything else that has happened OR NOT HAPPENED in the last week just makes it worse!!!!!
LIFE IS TERRIBLE... well, this week, anyway...
ok... enough of my over-reactionary rant.
LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!
Write soon. Love to you all from both of us.
Taliesen.

Promised Housewarming Pics!!!!

I can't quite figure out at what point in the evening this picture of Daniel and I, seemingly debating beverages, was taken. The number of cups and empty cans makes me think later on, however the Aussie flag we have up in our kitchen is still in it's place - later in the evening, it came down....
And people began to play with it... Here are Naseef and Matt - two friends we collected on St Patties Day, they accompanied us to Tony's birthday and now they just turn up eveywhere we go... fun guys...

Of course, you all remember Daniel's best friend, here, Ben.... and the flag did it's rounds... Below is also a nice pic of Iris, with Daniel.
For some reason, Daniel got a LOT of big group hugs that night... this pic is, like, one of THREE that we have of Tony and Jon showing Dan just how much he means to them.... awwwwww.....

I guess I got a few hugs that night too though...

Below is me with Victor - Brad's boyfriend - and although he's so much fun and I adore him, I really am only posting this pic to show off my KILLER nails... DON'T THEY LOOK AWESOME??!!!!!!!
It was such a fun night... Daniel and I were so happy to celebrate our new life with our new friends... So exciting!!!!
And I hope everyone else had fun too... I'm pretty sure they did... Even if, like Tony, they were too cool to laugh and smile at the camera!!!!! But, HEY!!!! Look at our living room, guys!!!!
Tony and Iris...

Me with Jon...

and Daniel with our craziest new friends!!!!! It really was a very fun night... Our house was warmed GREATLY...

even our fire-escape was warmed a little (and, also, we now know it safely holds 5 people).
All in all, a very fun night!!!! See?? See the fun??? I leave you with a last couple of just us goofin'...
Don't ask me what was going on, I don't know.... but I think it all had gotten a little too much for Daniel (either that, or someone on the other side of the kitchen is about to through a cheeze puff at him)...
And with that, we both bid you adieu. We really wish you all could have been there too. Soon, hopefully...
Love, as always, Taliesen.

A week in the life of Daniel and Taliesen.

Last week, to be exact...
Not typical at all, actually, but a good week with good things. So, thought I'd tell you all about it.
Actually, last week was great. I was waiting to write because Daniel said he wanted to write about last week. Although, as we've already discussed, if I wait for Daniel to write an entry, y'all would NEVER hear about what we're up to!!!
So, last weekend, we went and had dinner at our lovely friends Catherine and Luke's. (Catherine's the one from Melbourne). That dinner was great not ONLY because we haven't seen them in forever, and not ONLY because Catherine is a great cook but also because Luke works at BackStage (which is an Theatre Industry Paper - has audition notices and everything - great resource for actors) and they invited one of his co-workers. She is also an actress and we spent ALL night talking about things to do and paths to go down if I DON'T get accepted into Brooklyn... VERY productive and fun dinner.
And, remaining as productive all week, Daniel and I did our taxes and got a VERY good return coming out way (literally, we actually had payments for things coming up which we had NO idea how we were paying for them... now, we do and can!!!! It's the comfort of the little difference between just scraping by and having to find a loan shark... who needs ALL ten fingers, right??). Either way, for the brief moment before we budgeted, we had the elation and joy of thinking a lot of money was coming our way that we could spend on fun and frivolity, like a bed!!!!
Sticking with the productiveness of the week, Daniel got his L's and booked himself in for his driving class and test to get his US License, I went to the doctor and I'm ALL healthy (or, at least he said I looked fine), Helped Dad book his hotel for his visit in two weeks, sent Lucy an e-mail with a list of things we MUST do here in NYC when they visit in three weeks, painted my nails (which look fabulous and red, and LONG, by the way - for those of you who know how long I bit my nails for and how I've struggled to get to this point), and organized a housewarming (which we had on Saturday.... but I'm getting ahead of myself)
SO.... that was all the productive stuff we did... taking care of business. Back to the fun....
Wednesday. We went to MADISON SQUARE GARDEN TO SEE A BASKETBALL GAME!!!!!!!! it is something Daniel has ALWAYS wanted to do his WHOLE life and on Wednesday, we did. We went and saw the Knicks play Philadelphia. Philly won, but NY played REALLY well and kept the game close. It was THRILLING. And the atmosphere, the arena, everything was SSOOOOOOOO cool. To be in that space. To see that stadium, that I've seen on so many TV shows and in so many movies and so many pictures in magazines, was AMAZING. We drank crappy beer and ate awesome hot dogs and yelled and cheered and had the BEST time. And when we left we walked for several blocks in mid-town, saw the Empire State Building with clouds covering the top and the lights (she's gold and white at the moment for Easter) shining up into the heavens and lighting up the sky. Daniel and I were once again overwhelmed by the realization that this is our HOME. We live in THIS CITY... this amazing place, that flaws us and makes the mouths of tourists drop wide, this is where we LIVE. It just blows our mind at times. We are so grateful for this city, for it's beauty, for it's electricity, for it's possibilities. And so grateful to each other, ourselves, and all the powers that be, for getting us here, and helping us stay. Every now and then, this city is just heaven and we are reminded of all of this. Wednesday was one of those times. It was, THE best night.... EVER!!!!!
Then, as if that wasn't enough excitement and coolness for one week....
The Tarantino/Rodriguez double feature: An homage to exploitation B-movie thrillers that combines two feature-length segments into one double-bill designed to replicate the grind house theatergoing experience of the 70s and 80s. One is a zombie film and the other is a slasher film. The cast rocks and includes Rose McGowen, Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson, Kurt Russel, and a Kiwi actress named Zoe something... i think. Aeeeenywho. The film was AMAZING!!!!!! So unbelievably cool. We went and saw that on Friday and as we were exiting, there was a crew doing the whole "tell us what you thought" thing... And.... I SIGNED MY FIRST WEINSTEIN COMPANY RELEASE FORM!!!!!!! They probably won't use my footage, but it was still very exciting and it means that out there, in this country somewhere, is now someone employed by the Weinstein Brothers, perhaps Harvey Weinstein himself, playing footage of me, talking, with a release form in front of them with my full name, e-mail address and phone number on it!!!!
This is where, if this was a "dreams can come true" made-for-tv-movie, someone would call me and say "Harvey wants to bring you in for a screen test for the film they're shooting in New York this summer. He saw you on a promo reel and thinks you're fabulous"... Either way, it was cool...
And then to top off the week, we had our Housewarming Party on Saturday night. Lot's of photos were taken and they are coming soon.
It was a great party... Great people, great house, great food and we all had the BEST time. And the best part??? Daniel and I could just crawl into bed afterwards and everyone ELSE had to deal with the subway for two hours in the middle of the night, to get home.... hehehe. It was great and the perfect end to an incredible week.
Talk to you all again soon. Love to you all, as always. (missed all of our family HEAPS yesterday - Easter - and wished so much that we could have seen you) Love to you all and BIG HUGS AND KISSES!!!!!!!!!
As always,
Taliesen.