MONEYBALL

Ooooohhhhh!  This is a terrific baseball film.  True story about the Oakland A's.  Great performances by Brad Pitt (who produced as well) and Jonah Hill. Abe and I loved it.  Heard from Josh today who phoned from NY where he's visiting with Abbey his back again girlfriend.  Called to wish us a Happy new Year.  A touch of grace and sweeeeeet!

CBI/The 4 Seasons

Today we attended services at the Smith Auditorium at Congregation Beth Israel.  A young woman rabbi who was warm and relevant.  Another  woman rabbi educator  gave a pertinent and  informative sermon and two shofar blowers who couldn't blow the shofar for a darn  were filled with good humor and gave it a good try.  The congregation enjoyed their attempts.  Abe, Liz and I  all missed Jules, a professional French horn player who blew a heavenly shofar and trained all of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah kids back in Park Slope in the chanting of their torah portions.

We went for lunch at the 4 Seasons, a really delicious meal.  The maitr d is a former NYC guy who reminds us so much of JERSEY BOYS.  The last time we saw him was last year at Rosh Hashanah.  We all remembered each other, wished each other l'shanah tovah and felt so happy to share the day with Liz.

L'Shana Tovah/Happy New Year

Tonight begins the start of our Jewish New Year, the High Holy Days, the Days of Awe.  For us non observant  Jews it still remains a time to stand back and reflect about your own ethical life, pay honor to your lost ones and to bring in the New Year with challah (braided bread) and honey.  Instead of matzoh ball soup and chicken, Abe and Liz will get chicken with herbs and roasted vegetables, and salmon in caribbean bar-b-cue sauce.

Not many Austinites know about our New Year.  It's 5772 on our calendar.  We wish you a happy and healthy new year with a lot of nachas (joy) from your children. 

I am fortunate to once again celebrate a new year in my new found homeland.

THE KILLER/Austin Film Society

Moving along in our Hong Kong Series we got to see this shoot-em-up action film that was my favorite thus far.  While Chale had warned us about the 60, 000 shots fired and some close women friends refusing to see it because of it's violence I found the themes of loyalty, love, honor, fixing a terrible mistake appealed to my very female interests.  The killing was not for killing sake and I loved the emotional relationships of the cop and killer and the killer and his girlfriend.  An intern (Programming Apprentice) provided 4 pages of program notes that were more than thorough.  My favorite piece of info is that John Woo got his love of films from his mother who took him regularly to the cinema as a child because he could get in for free. How many filmmakers have shared that history?  Going to the films every week-end because they were poor and having their worlds made so much larger. I was brought to films at a very early age in the Bronx by a poor mother. Many adult films that I remember vividly.  I continued that practice throughout my own life and  then my children's lives.  When people ask me how I get the energy to do as much as I do here in Austin the answer is quite simple for me.  I am not "doing" anything just keeping my mind and heart open to receive other people's experiences, interpretations, thoughts about life.  By being in the audience I have received so much.  It is the filmmaker that is doing all of the "doing."

KUT Fall Membership Drive

I volunteered to work the phones this morning up at Communications B where KUT broadcasts from.  Who greets me at the door but my good acting buddy Rudi Lee?  Boy was I lucky!  She taught me the ropes,  helped me with  an interrupted call,  sat next to me  sharing stories, laughs and making me feel so welcome.  The time flew by, and  my favorite announcers walked through, John Aielli, Jay Trachtenburg, thanking us.  Rudi introduced me to her adorable son, Michael, a producer and KUT cartoon designer, pointed out the director, and advised me that lunch would be amazing!  She did not lie.  I had an empanada that tasted like a potato knish with a salad.  Breakfast, snacks, coffee, drinks were all donated by local food vendors.  DELICIOUS!  I walked off the empanada when I left (I hope) walking down to 5th St and Congress where I caught the #5 bus.  It was hot and the rains came after I walked in the house.  We reached our goal of $13K this morning which made me real happy.  In this group of volunteers there were 3 other Brooklynites!!  This was so much fun and productive, I signed up for another session next Tuesday.

Tonight is AFS and of course Abe wouldn't miss this one.  THE KILLER,a  John Woo film.

Jared Comes For Dinner

Liz has a new beau, guy, male friend whatever.  He is lovely.  Insightful, UT grad, working as a sound engineer, good looking, easy to talk to, good to Liz, respectful, on and on.  She's always had good taste in guys.  They're usually kind, thin, smart, hard working, soft spoken and gentle.  Just like her Dad.  Who's on his way home as I write.  Night y'all. 

SOCO CAFE

Dinner with Ria recently returned from Belgium...nice!  SOCO is not crowded on Sunday evenings.  Have to remember that.  No word yet about audition.  I'm getting used to this.  And finally Abe's home late tomorrow.  YAY!!!

Audition at the Dougherty Arts Center

Shortly after arriving in Austin I saw a casting call for a Horton Foote production of A CARPETBAGGER'S CHILDREN and auditioned with the director, Norman Blumensaadt from Different Stages. 
WHAT WAS I THINKING?  This is Horton Foote!  Texas through and through.  Of course I didn't get the part but Mr. Blumensaadt told me to take acting lessons and I listened. And for a year and a half I've been studying acting weekly (almost weekly).  And subsequently I have been cast in quite a number of student UT films.
 And today I auditioned for Lisa Kron's WELL, a production Abe and I had seen in NY at the Public Theater.  A production that made me so uncomfortable because the characters were so close to my own life.  And today, with acting classes under my belt, and NY and Jewish in my veins I auditioned and have been called back tomorrow.  And when Mr. Blumensaadt asked me if I would be willing to to be in the ensemble if I didn't get a larger part I danced for joy and wanted to give him a kiss, a hug, a hoot and a holler.  But I didn't.  He's not that kind of guy.   So instead I called Abe,Josh, Liz, Pam and Lenny and exploded.    Even if I don't get a part it is good enough.  I have studied, learned how to analyze a character, remember lines, be generous to my partners and LISTEN!  I am so appreciative.
And now a shout out to my Dad, Ben Scherer.  We're approaching Yom Kippur where we remember our loved ones whom we've lost.   When I was 4 and sat in front of our mirrored credenza crying he always told me to become an actress.  When I played the guitar as a 16y.o. he told me to become a performer.  He ALWAYS told me I had an ability to perform.  And now Papa, after all these years I have listened to you.  And I love to perform and I love you because it is you that comes out in every performance.  I got my personality from you!.  And now to my New York friends you can dry your eyes.

Les Petits Chanteurs of the Holy Trinity Music School

The earthquake in Haiti destroyed the Holy Trinity Music School of Port Au Prince, part of a complex that educates 1,000 students.  The Boys choir has been traveling and performing since the earthquake in order to rebuild the music school and replace the instruments.  This is their second visit to Austin and while the concert is free donations are suggested and collected. The program includes both sacred and Haitian music. They perform classical compositions in their own country.  My experience of Boys choirs is Brooklyn Boys and St. Thomas NYC.  One must forget those fine tuned polished choirs when listening to Les Petits Chanteurs.  It is best to put the singers and the musicians from the chamber ensemble in their proper context.  Haiti is the poorest country in our hemisphere with a history of continued civil conflict and a recent earthquake that was massive in its destruction. 300,000 Haitians are believed to have died and thousands are homeless, sick and unemployed. It is in this context that one receives the warmth and melody of the singers and musicians and their conductors.  I assure you this is a special and delightful way to receive music.  They are inspirational.  I heard them at All Saints Episcopal up on campus and they'll be continuing to perform in Austin for 3 more evenings.

Abe's still in NY with pouring rain.  And I miss him.  Night y'all.

Abe's in NY

His turn to travel back East to visit Mom, see friends, play handball.  I miss him!

GRANITO:HOW TO NAIL A DICTATOR/AFS

Pamela Yates has done the world a huge service by documenting the genocide of  the Mayan indigenous population in Guatemala in the 1980's.  Her film made in 1982 WHEN THE MOUNTAINS TREMBLE has provided the footage necessary to bring the top military and senior police officials to justice.  Just now people are being arrested for the genocide.  Her documentation of the indigenous people, their lives, their villages, their grief and pain at the loss of loved ones provides an  invaluable entry into a world so far from our own.  While I thought there were some editing difficulties the power of the people in this film is sufficient to make this a very good documentary.  I went with Liz who enjoyed it equally and we both came away feeling Pamela Yates is  an extraordinary woman.    I'm still stuck on Chale's intro where he states she left Appalachia at 16 and came to NYC.  Talk about a journey requiring courage!

Speaking of Chale.  It's his birthday.  And how did he spend it?  Bringing wonderful films to "good people."  His words.  Happy BD Chale!

SONG OF THE EXILE/Austin Film Society

I loved, loved, loved this film directed by a woman, Ann Hui,of mixed Asian lineage, Japanese and Chinese.  While Chale's notes as always gave great background info I understood this storyline even before getting home and reading them!  This film spoke to my favorite subject of familial relationships and the cultural differences in family dynamics. We observe two generations of estrangement from a mother and reconciliations, class consciousness and distinction, and the unique way the young woman in this film makes her own journey and choices to resolve her own inner turmoil.  The main character played by the BEAUTIFUL Maggie Cheung is so appealing.  She is intelligent, brave, expresses her emotions so naturally and fearlessly.  The cinematography is beautiful and the stories and photos we have heard and seen from Liz about Hong Kong and China made this film so attractive and personally enticing.  Abe loved this film as well.  Thank-you AFS and Chale for bringing us films from parts of the world I may never ever get to.  This broadens my own journey and as always will help me in my ongoing struggle to "keep an open mind."

Friendliness at Gold's Gym

Wendy, the beautiful PT from Body Pump gives me considerate suggestions to nurse my sore shoulder and acts like she really cares.  While setting up a guy R.N. tells me about a hysterical date he had in NYC trying to impress his date and figuring out the subway system on Friday before she gets there.  Needless to say the NYC transit system ALWAYS changes on the week-end for repairs.  They missed their stop and the relationship didn't last.  And Chester whom I haven't seen in months shows up lookin' mighty good after major medical remediation and gives me a hug and is warm to everyone.  Happy to be back.  Just a plain ol day in Austin with cooking, washing, reading and the good life with a  glass or two of wine.

AN AMERICAN MISSION

Have you ever approached a project or an invitation with enormous ambivalence? Not anticipating a comfortable time?  This is how I approached my all day shoot today at Mission Espada in San Antonio.  I was delighted when James Pinedo invited me to audition for his thesis project AN AMERICAN MISSION.  He wrote the screenplay about an event in a family that is close knit.  Like James'  real life family who joined us on the set, fed us, offered children to act and help direct and a father who helps with props.  James' Mom and aunt offered me great conversation, women talk and support when I wasn't on set.  Every character  is warm and nice and loving in this film.  Except for me, the Mrs. Milan character.  She is a bigot, who treats Abel, the father with absolute disrespect, disregard and disdain.  All of this in front of his children!!  So here I am.  A Jewish Brooklyn accented woman  loudly berating Abel  played by Mario Ramirez at a beautiful mission where tourists are visiting and brothers are tending to their tasks. And all that I received today, all day long,  was everyone's positive feedback, favorable comments, warmth, respect and affection.  James shot the scene (3 minutes long)12 times!!!!  You heard me right..12 times!!!!  And always thanked me for my energy and performance.  Even when I walked into a hanging flower pot and bunked my head!  (Think America's funniest blooper).

The best coda to a really fine day  was being driven home by TaNeil, one of the most unusual and beautiful young women I have ever met.  Ta neil drove me home for an hour through the scariest electrical thunder and lightening storm I have ever experienced.  For one hour!  I was so happy she is a super Christian religious person because I was praying to every god imaginable to get me home to Abe safely.  I have never been so afraid.  TaNeil assured me she is from Colorado and is accustomed to extreme weather.  This extraordinary young woman lives in a RV in a trailer park, drives to school each day, makes films, practices her faith and wears it publicly and well.  She asks to see photos of my kids, comes into my home, looks at photos of my kids, Liz's photo blog and SOW photos.  Sits on my terrace, tells me about her missions to Africa, travels, her life experiences and leaves me feeling like I had one of the best days in my life.  Thank-you James.  Thank-you TaNeil.

It Rained in Austin Today/Marco Parella's Acting Class

It rained today.  Real rain.  ACL is in town with all of the crowds and great music.  We listen on KUT.  One ACL experience  in the pouring rain at Zilker Park was enough.  I love the energy, the increased revenue.  But preferred taking Marco's class.  It's been a few weeks since I was there.  And boy, have I learned so much.  He's a tough task master and so well worth it!
But something sad happened.  One of the young men in the class (adorable I must say) played a scene from Schindler's List.  He did not know who fought in WWII.  Did not know who the allies were or who we fought.  No wonder this country is in trouble.  Otherwise, the garden is happy, so am I.

HIGHER GROUND

Today we saw this beautiful film directed by Vera Farmiga who had the starring role as well.  The setting is the 60's and a rare look into the born again Christian culture which existed  parallel to free love, drugs, antiwar protests.  How uninformed was I about the young people who joined this community. The screenplay is written by Carolyn Briggs and is based on her memoir.  It is beautifully acted and filmed with the main character being played by three actors over the years.  Taissa Farmiga, Vera's younger sister is fabulous as the teenage character. There are wonderful moments of great warmth between Vera and her close friend in the community and an open minded portrayal of this super religious group of people. I particularly liked the way people who have come and gone in each other's lives are allowed to still have strong feelings for one another.  I like that the man whom you feel will deliver her from this world turns out to be an Irish mailman.  I loved the way this independent woman declares her uniquness and does it all by herself.  Don't miss this film.

Speaking of closeness with women.  Today I had lunch with Judith at Madeline's and  gallivanted and shopped and talked and laughed.  When I walked in Abe commented "you had fun."  How right he was.

Pam Gets Tenure

YIPPEE!!!!!!  City College of New York has just latched on permanently to one of their finest English instructors.  Now they should only be nice to her!  And the English Department should grow up and learn how to stop  behaving like children!

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM at UT/AN AMERICAN MISSION

Tonight Jamaal got to present his directed scene in Andrew Shea's directing class at UT.  This is an emotionally driven scene and I am so appreciative that Jamaal cast me as Sarah.  I thoroughly enjoyed his direction and working with him in rehearsals.  And tonight when the professor asked him to give us another direction to make the relationship more intimate , instead of listening to what was suggested he turned to me and Alex and asked what could we improvise.  What felt real for us.  Prof Shea thanked us for our work.  I thank the students for giving me an opportunity to act.

After this class I headed off to James Pinedo's house where we rehearsed  AN AMERICAN MISSION.  His thesis project.  I play Mrs. Milan.  A bigot.  She's got the spice in the screenplay.  James allows me to make her even spicier.  I like that.

FALLEN ANGELS/Austin Film Society

We continue with Wong Kar-Wai's films in this Hong Kong series.   Truth be told my AHA moment comes after reading Chale Nafus' 4 pages of notes and Abe's comments while leaving the theater.  The actors are beautiful, uninhibited and so atypical. The film is visually captivating with high energy, raw emotions, very funny scenes and characters SO appealing that I put aside my confusion about the storyline. Thanks to Chale I can tell you this is once again a story of longing and desire.  Four characters include an assassin, his very sensual female boss, a mute who is adorable inside and out and a young woman who is one of the funniest jilted lovers I have ever met.  There is a scene where she beats up a life size doll who resembles her rival "Blondie" that is over the top.  Abe loves these films and reminds me that the filmmaker takes ordinary characters and presents their reality through a completely different lens.  This film is an artistic experience  that I compare to standing in front of a painting at the Met.  Somethings I get and others need the docent's explanation.

Tea Party Debate

Walked in and caught 5 minutes of Perry defending Texas' decision to provide in state tuition to any person who has been a resident of Texas for 3 years.  The others attacked him unmercifully (or maybe mercifully) but I could not believe my ears!  On this topic he defended Texas' decision and actually sounded like a human.  He kept repeating "states rights issue" but the important thing is this is a human decision passed by Texas legislature.  I didn't listen to the rest because I didn't want to throw up.  CLOSER at 10.

Rehearsal at CMA with Jamaal and Alex.  Fine young men to work with.  Scene to be presented on Wednesday in Jamaal's directing class. 

CONTAGION

We both liked this film which we saw at the Alamo (a percentage of their profit  goes  to the Bastrop Fire Victims).  It's not an artistic film but plays more like a docudrama.  While the plague aspect is scary, scary, what's scarier is the greed element.  It seems everything that needs fixing in this world (and that's a whole lot of stuff) is corrupted and contaminated by financial greed.  There's a moralistic tone in this film that is not necessary regarding the Gwyneth girl (she's not a favorite of mine) but the message is important.  Greed, corruption and the destruction of our natural environment for profit hurts all of us...it's a global threat that cannot be denied.

Today I remembered my city of birth, NYC.  My children's city of birth and where they received fabulous public educations in the most diversely populated schools.  Abe came to this city at age 3 from Berlin and continues his love affair with it from Austin.  We are New Yorkers through and through and on 9/11 we remember the gravity of our loss.  We pay tribute to the generation of 9/11 who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe.  We bow our heads in heartfelt gratitude.

That Crystal Clear Day in September

I walked into Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn Heights and signed in.  It was 9:10 and primary day.  Joanie O'Brien told me a plane had flown into the World Trade Center.  I walked to my office on the maternity floor, looked out the windows that overlooked the NY harbor and saw another plane smash into the second tower.  Soon workers, doctors, nurses, techs, stood watching in horror as the towers fell.  We went into disaster mode and prepared the ER and the hospital to receive survivors.  There were no admissions, no survivors except for some first responders.  The next day hundreds of new Yorkers lined up in all communities to donate blood.  We were turned away after some time as there was no need for the blood.  We watched as thousands of beautiful photos were posted all over downtown asking if we'd seen these missing people.  Our brains were numb and could not accept that these were not missing persons.  Abe walked home to Brooklyn from St Luke's Hospital in Harlem.  Josh got home at night from the Bronx High School of Science and to this day I don't know how he worked that out.  Liz was in a brand new High School in Brooklyn and got driven home.  I stayed at the hospital assigned to the lobby to work with the family members of patients brought in.  No patients came.  A few thousand had already turned to the dust of ground zero.  I will always remember that crystal clear day in NYC.  It changed the world and our perceptions of our own place in it.

Free Films In Austin

This week Abe and I saw DAYS OF BEING WILD and then a spoof on PERFECT.  We watched BIUTIFUL on dvd from Vulcan (small fee) and today I just got free tickets for a screening of the new Brad Pitt film MONEYBALL before it opens on Friday.  Right down here at the Alamo South Lamar. If we don't get in we head on up  to the Blanton to see HUNGRY IN AMERICA.  All of this is free.  We're members at the Blanton and Austin Film Society for nominal fees by NY standards.  You ask why I love this town?  I love it because it offers wonderful culture at affordable prices.  And the University offers us classes and me the opportunity to receive direction from young filmmakers.  What could be better?

Happy BD Lizzy/Happy BD Chronicle

Tonight we celebrated Lizzy's 24th birthday with her for the first time since she was 17!  She's been in Texas and then Hong Kong for all of those others.  We met up at Roaring Fork for delicious food and drinks and then she headed off to Social Biking with friends and dancing at Barbarella's.  Abe and I went next door to the Paramount where Master Pancake spoofed PERFECT in celebration of the Chronicle's 30th BD. What an easy movie to spoof.  Jamie Lee Curtis and John Trivolta in their aerobic spandex jerking their pelvises to 1980 pump music. The spoofs were hysterical, the dialogue ridiculous, and Abe and I laughed our way through.   A good night.

A post script.  We're approaching the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  An infamous day for our family.  For Liz's 14th birthday we headed our way to the marina at the World Trade Center on 9/8/01.  We ate Mexican food and then took photos of Josh and Liz in front of small yachts parked at the marina.  Three days later on a crystal clear morning the marina, the World Trade Center and the small yachts were all destroyed.  We will never forget that day.  We were all in different places and in different boroughs.  We all emerged safely and to this day we count our blessings.

The Fires of Central Texas

Scary, horrifying, lost homes, lost lives, uninsured folks with little support.  The air smells of singe.  Thousands of acres of lost forest, 1,000 homes lost, animals attached to those homes with no place to roam.

And an asshole   Governor who comes running back from campaigning and requests federal help ASAP.  A Governor who cut the volunteer fire department budget by 25%!  He, the demonizer of the Feds, who repeatedly denounces federal govt but accepts all of the money offered and demands more.  Austinites rant and rave about this governor yet Texans re-elect him.Why do they re-elect this man?  I am awaiting the moment when we learn about his dirt. His unpleasantness. He must have bumped somebody's or some animal's foot in a stall.  I frankly don't care whom, but where are you???  Speak up already...get him out of the race.  Talk about scary! 

DAYS OF BEING WILD/AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY

Essential Cinema Series is back at Alamo S. Lamar with films from  Hong Kong.  Tonight we saw this film by Wong-Kar Wai, who is best known in the US for CHUNGKING EXPRESS.  The most striking element of this film is its beauty.  The shots, the actors, the sets, the terrain are all visually beautiful.  That being said I found myself lost at times regarding storyline but never cared much because it was a beautiful film to watch.  It reminded me of what Liz has told us about Hong Kong: the bold directness of people and the language they use when talking to one another, the old apartments, the streets, the bars, the alleys.  Of course Chale's 4 pages of notes saved the day for me and Abe in turns of story, history and analysis.  So this is a film about longing and a man's detachment from others due to early abandonment by his natural mother.  Once I got that,  much of the movie made sense.  It's like having an interpreter after the conversation.  Nevertheless, it worked for us.

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

This evening I headed up to campus to rehearse a scene from this magnificent film.  The red dress scene where Sarah tries to convince her son that she will be on television wearing the red dress she wore to his H.S. graduation.  The director is Jamaal Felix and I act the scene with Alex ( ?).   I met these two young men when I worked on a film for a UT Directing student last semester.    Jamaal contacted me after seeing REQUIEM and asked me if I would work with him on it for his Directing For Film  class.  It is my pleasure.  Jamaal is intelligent, analytical, humble,  and communicates like a soft spoken gentleman.  His directions are well thought out and he is open to interpretation.  Alex is a good partner in this scene.  The work is intense, the scene  is deeply emotional and moving.  The subject is loneliness and what Sarah does to fill the hole.

The day was spent at Town Lake where I play with other peoples' dogs and Abe reads.  A life that Sarah could only dream of.  Night y'all.

Grupo Fantasma at the Long Center

This Austin based group has been described as Latin funkmasters and tonight they did not disappoint.  A free concert on the terrace at Long Center was packed with all kinds of Austinites on their collapsible chairs.  A musical treat we both enjoyed.

Today I headed up to Campus for the first rehearsal of AN AMERICAN MISSION directed by James Pinedo.  It's a pretty big cast  of 8 including kids, teens, a couple of young adults and then there's me, much much older.  James offered insightful direction and clearly loves directing.  A pleasant experience with intelligent points made.

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

Oy Vey.  Abe saw Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce on Charlie Rose discussing this film and made me feel real interested.  Abe LOVES horror films...I'm eh.   Oh well.  He really liked this film and thought it was scary and well acted.  He jumped out of his seat a couple of times.  He really liked the child actor.


On the other hand.  I was bored out of my mind.  The horror was predictable, the child actor was VERY un- childlike and the whole thing was silly.  It got great reviews.  Just not my cup of tea.  But no bad mouthing Mr.Del Toro.  He should live and be well.

MIRO Quartet

An Austin gem is this string quartet who play classical and contemporary music and is in residence at UT Butler School of Music.  They teach students, coach chamber music and maintain a worldwide tour schedule. They are highly acclaimed throughout the world.  William Fedkenheuer has joined them this year as a violinist.  Tonight we heard a program up at Bates Concert Hall with works by Schubert, Glass and Brahams.  We both loved the Philip Glass piece, it was extraordinarily emotional.  Abe described it as macho.  I still can't tell if he was teasing but nevertheless he enjoyed the concert. 

Slacker 2011 and Miro Quartet in one week.  My kind of town.  Night y'all.

Living with a 24 Year Old

Not just any 24y.o. and not just any place.  Austin and Brooklyn converged in this child of ours to help her on her unique journey through the worst economy one could imagine for college grads.  We came home from SLACKER 2011 last night to learn  Liz bicycled East side  Austin in 105 degrees (20 miles she figured) to bring her photographs to studios for exhibition in the East Side Art Tour.   This week  she applied for  and received an internship for Arts and Labor because "she can learn so much."  She landed a job as a photographer's assistant shortly after arriving from Hong Kong.  She bicycles in Social Biking, karaokes at EGO's, recites her  poetry at  Poetry events, dances wherever to whatever, plays her harmonica, sings off key while she's working , swims, hikes, rock climbs, reads paper bound books voraciously, does not ever ask for money, and brings such happiness to her parents who have not lived with her since she was 17.  We sent her to Austin days before she turned 18 with two duffel bags and not knowing a soul.  Four years later she left UT with honors, got employment quickly at Foundation Communities, spent the next year at the Hong Kong Design Institute as the English coordinator and Fashion Blog creator. In the worst economy imaginable  this young woman makes her way, finds her way, is a wonderful friend to her friends and a great daughter.

Now if she'd only learn to clean her room!