Guys, I’m 1 year old today! Can you believe it?? A kernel of a thought that I had over a year ago has been materialized and is now the most fulfilling thing I’ve done in my lifetime thus far and actually exists. You know what they say about the power of your thoughts.
I had originally started planning a giant birthday party back around Thanksgiving time but then the accident happened and everything kinda got shot to hell. But if you want to come celebrate with me tonight and have a cookie and a beer, I’ll be at Singlecut Beersmiths around 10 hanging with some of the best peeps in the neighborhood, my friends that work there. My love for them (and their beer) runs fast and deep and there’s nowhere I’d rather celebrate 🙂 So come up down (up, really), have a drink with me and let’s celebrate a kinder Astoria and world! But first, let me take you on a walk through my morning…..
I woke up (waaay too late – talking with my bff on the west coast) and opened my door to trudge outside and move my car. But what I saw puzzled me.
I stood there for a minute, already foggy brain from a concussion (yep, still having issues with that), foggy brain from the morning, pre-coffee no less, and thought, “Is it my birthday and I forgot?” Yes, kids, things are that bad in the morning. Then my next thought was “It’s not Annie’s (my roommate) birthday, that’s in August. Maybe she’s having a surprise thing for a friend after work tonight? Huh, she usually wouldn’t mentioned that. Ok, that’s cool”
As I drew closer, it was clear that it was for someone’s birthday, I just hadn’t figured it out yet.
As I turned the corner and saw this, I felt like I’d been hit with the most wonderful, loving, caring hammer. And yeah, I felt a little dumb for my previous thoughts. Like I’d forget my own birthday! Well, apparently, I did.
My roommate had set up streamers and balloons…
….set out a ‘sweet’ gesture of sugar and an owl saying Happy Birthday….
….and a nice, big, eye-level-so-I-can’t-miss-it sign wishing me a great day.
I’d be terrible at surprise parties because I stood there for a moment, grinning and speechless, not sure what to do. I, of course, have to give a huge thank you to Annie for doing this in the first place – I loved it! – and a ginormous thank you to all of you that have supported me throughout the last year. It means the world, and I’m really looking forward to the year ahead. I’m branching out into Manhattan next week (don’t worry, still continuing with Astoria) and have a lot of big projects that I’d like to accomplish in 2014. But, for all my intentions, I’ll take it as it comes, because when 2013 started, I had no idea I’d be doing a TEDx Talk; you can never know what’s coming down the pipeline. Kinda like my birthday surprise. 🙂
And that, my friends, is what makes living life so joyfully exciting.
Ever been in a situation where you realize halfway through just how epic and life changing it really is, and you start to see yourself almost from a third party perspective? Or start saying something, just to test it out, but realizing it become infinitely more real each time you say it? Kinda like Beetlejuice! You know – you say his name three times to get him to appear? I always imagined that with each “Beetlejuice”, Michael Keaton came more and more into being until he was a fully formed and solid being. I find the same holds true for desires or thoughts. Before you realize it, an “I’m thinking of doing” or “Maybe I’ll” has turned into “I’m doing ___ and actively pursuing this!”. Then, for the first time, you really hear what you just said and go, “Huh??? I am??” Welcome to my last three weeks.
When I last left you, the countdown to TEDx Utica was on. I was at Utica Coffee Roasters for a bit of downtime before the big show and needed to catch you guys up on what had happened the weeks before. I couldn’t let the last thing y’all read before I embarked on this crazy journey to be my letter to my grandmother. And later that night at 5pm, the starting gun went off, I took the stage, and I haven’t stopped since.
First of all, thank you thank you thank you to everyone that took the time to watch the livestream from the evening, or have gone to YouTube to watch my talk, or have shared it with their friends, families, co-workers, or pets.
I know in today’s world, 12 minutes can seem like an eternity, but thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated. And yeah, even for a performer such as myself, those 12 minutes simultaneously flew by and seemed to go on forever. That was the most nervous I have ever been in my entire life and I actually thought I might throw up before hand. Luckily, I didn’t, everything went smoothly, everyone got cookies and so on we go. The rest of the speakers were quite good and all had very relevant and thought provoking things to say. You can actually watch all of the speakers’ videos on the TEDx Utica site!
Between TED and the Guideposts article that came out that same day, I’ve been led down an amazing path of new possibilities, both as Renee and as Single Girl. I did an interview with my alma mater about service through music because someone saw the TED livestream. I’m doing a radio interview tomorrow with Kelli Corasanti, another TED speaker, on her internet blog radio show, It Only Takes One. I’m scheduled to do another interview with the radio show Cityscape, on 90.7, WFUV, New York City’s NPR affiliate. I’ll be participating in the Brooklyn Cookie Takedown on Sunday, Dec 8. I’ve met with the SBCD at LaGuardia CC, taken meetings with attorneys and others in a position to help the cause, and I’m still doing weekly drops (duh, like I could ever NOT do those). Oh, and I’m planning a giant Single Girl Cookies Birthday Party/Astoria Love-Fest in January, having a gathering at my place this Sunday (email me for info – all ladies are invited!), and I am still working on a Single Girl Cookies book. Yeah, and the rest of my regular singing life is still happening too. Wait a second…..is this what being an adult is?
Me pretending to be an adult
A lot of those things are things I can keep you updated on after they happen. I’ll be posting at least one interview for your listening pleasure, and the legally/business stuff will take a while, but it means some VERY exciting news for Single Girl. That is definitely one of those things I was mentioning earlier; I’m Beetjuice-ing something into existence, but didn’t realize what a big deal it was. Kinda like when people bring back Beetlejuice and they don’t realize how bad that is! Man, I’m rockin’ in the metaphor department today, except my things are good, not bad.
Something I’d like to talk to you all about now is my giant birthday party!!! Woot!! The one year anniversary of Single Girl Cookies is coming up on January 17th and what better way to celebrate a year of kindness than by throwing a party? Also, who doesn’t love parties?? You, you over there that just said you don’t like parties? Get out.
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I’ve actually been thinking about this for a long time, long enough to know that I can’t do it alone. My hope is to get as many people from the places I’ve been to over the last year in one big place, maybe have some vendors there, maybe a raffle (I’d like to get said people to donate gifts for said raffle) as a fund raiser, a giant board where people can stick note cards where they write their favorite thing about Astoria on there, cookies….just a huge Astoria Love-Fest! In fact, because I’m not very creative in the Naming Things Department, that’s what I will probably call it. All of that sounds, in my opinion, like the greatest party that ever was or ever will be. I’m sure that’s exactly how you view it too. But, it’s also going to be a lot of work, and something I can’t do all myself. I’m sure there are many other great ideas about what to add, or how to go about accomplishing everything, and I need your help! This is my huge plea – Please, oh please, don’t let me go crazy trying to make this amazing thing happen. I’ll be at The Queens Kickshaw this Saturday, November 16th at 11am for a planning session. It’s my first “community event” and I need the community to pull it off! I’m really looking for a good group of people who wouldn’t mind making the occasional phone call, or stopping into a few places to diplomatically ask for a gift donation to raffle off, or posting signs, or coming early to the event to help with set up. This entire year has been a community effort, don’t leave me hanging now 🙂
The Utica Fire Department knows what’s up. They didn’t “leave me hanging” – get it??
Mark this on your calendars as well – December 8th, 2-4pm. This is the Brooklyn Cookie Takedown! I heard about this when a friend forwarded me the page, thinking it was up my alley. Boy, is it ever! I’m going as a cook on Sunday, but this happens both Saturday and Sunday, tickets can be purchased here. For $15, you gain admission to Bell House in Brooklyn where you spend the next two hours drinking bourbon and eating cookies. Tell me that isn’t the best news you’ve heard in the last ten minutes.
Another event event, smaller and more immediate, is the Stella & Dot Trunk Show gathering I’m having at my apartment on Sunday! A good friend of mine is a Stella & Dot stylist and came up with the title Single Girl Soiree (cute, right?) with an evening that will be all about cookies, wine and of course, jewelry 🙂 Everyone is welcome, it is from 6-8 this Sunday the 17th, and you can come and go whenever. If you’d like to come but can’t make it, you can still shop that party online (there are lots of cute things, and come on people, let’s start thinking holiday shopping). In either case, I ask that you shoot me a message on Facebook, twitter, or email, and I’ll email or message you back the invitation link, because it does have my address on there and I’m not sure I could handle the flocks of adoring men that will swamp my building door, should that address get out. Hehe, guess what I’m dreaming of for Christmas? 😉
And with a bit of normalcy, I’ll wrap up this post by finishing up the cookies I’ve been baking. My drop today is at Samantha on Steinway, and I was sent there by Tina at Jasmine, two doors up the block. Rob from Fantasy sent me to Jasmine, and Kian at Esquire sent me to Fantasy and the folks at Venzini sent me to Esquire. There! We’re all caught up 🙂 Catch you next week!
Single Girl Cookies 