Milwaukee Repertory Theater is Hearing the "Ragtime" /  by *nickels*

And from Houston Shakespeare Festival... I moved briskly to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater to continue my tenure as a professional actor. OMG?! WTF?! SERIOUSLY. What a quick change! That was for the theater heads out there. There are sooo many things I can discuss about my experiences thus far (and need to.. the good... the bad and the.. but what I want to focus on are these amazing people and the rehearsal!) I'm so excited to be here!

The first show of the season is 'Ragtime!' If you haven't seen it before, you are definitely missing out one of the best theatrical experiences of a lifetime. All of that corny-hokey-it-changed-my-life people talk about.. happens in this show. It's one of those your life ain't right until you seen it. Ok, moving on from #firstworldproblems if you are in town.. show up!

I LOVED just getting into the rehearsal process. The artistic team behind this show is wonderfully gifted and generous. I've grown so much in just the ... 10 days (man does it actually feel like 3 weeks) since I've been here. From the brilliant choreographer, to the amazing dance captain, to the intelligent director to the... OMG. Yeah, not enough time. 

I can just say that as an actor, I was thrilled to get into the nitty gritty of telling this story... and moving into the rehearsal space and getting to sing, speak, and dance. And given this city's history, It's gonna be an amazing show. 

#eek

Opening Night! The Festival is Here! /  by *nickels*

So.. we have officially opened both shows (Antony & Cleopatra and As You Like It) of this season's Houston Shakespeare Festival and I couldn't be more thrilled. The festival is held at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park outdoors, in the heat, of a Texas summer! Luckily, as the sun settles, the heat index does as well... AND the actors can benefit from air conditioning when they are not on the proscenium portion of the stage. Attendees who choose to sit in seats under the metal canopy and not on the lawn also benefit from a bit of AC breeze and fans spinning form up above.

During the dinner break on opening night, I walked around the park filled with families, couples, and workout enthusiasts. After an hour of profuse sweating, the universe told me to calm my behind down with all that movement, so I sat on the lawn for a good hour as audience members began to congregate. It was so exciting to have a little secret, that I, sitting on the lawn, was actually going to be on stage in an hour. I like to do this when I'm in shows because it grounds me. That, and jammin' to Jay-Z, Macklemore, or B.O.B. What can I say, this girl likes her bass.

This, however, was not the best part of opening night. After I got myself decked out in Egyptian gold (because Cleo's girls always look good), forced the dressing room to have a dance party with me (why would I not.. Antony & Cleopatra starts at a party!), creating a whole-bunch of unnecessary sweat (what was I thinking), and running to the stage when I got the call for places (I was last... #diva), the curtain went up. Never in my life have I seen that many people looking at me! I'm supposed to be frozen and I nearly broke. To remedy the situation, instead of having my eyes cast forth across the horizon, I had to drop my focus to my breasts... because they are no longer shocking to me.

And off we went. I'm truly grateful. At the moment, I get to act for a living, I have some great friends and loved ones, a roof over my head, food in my belly, and spend a significant part of my day outdoors and. As I walked around before call time, I became somewhat overwhelmed by it all and I'm not ashamed to admit it -- tears fell from my eyes for a few minutes. Gravity. (lol)

What can I say... I'm lucky.

(Also... my mother wants to enlarge this photograph, frame it, and put it in our family home. Cleavage and all. Ha)

"Thank You 10" - Conversations Between Acting /  by *nickels*

I'm some ways, the early days of rehearsal can feel like the first day of school. There's lots of anxiety yet excitement, nervousness and confidence, self-doubt a midst intense hope. But it's more than just school and I am approaching each new experience as more than just a student.

One of the aspects I've enjoyed the most about my experience with Houston Shakespeare Festival is the talking-to and getting-to-know my fellow artists better. The conversations in of themselves teach me so much about the different paths people take in this field. I've been able to eek out life advice AND steal some really great acting techniques from so many of the more established actors in the casts.

One of the most eye-opening realizations I've had is learning that many of the actors are (a lot) older than they play, and a lot older than I thought they were. I'm glad I can end that misguided perception. Given that truth, and the truth that black don't crack, I think I'm good for at least another 20-30 years.

Another unique thing about these casts... a lot of them are married. Speaking as someone who one day hopes to start a family, this was rather reassuring. You CAN be a performer and have a happy married life. What's particularly unique about this season is the number of couples there are in the overall artistic team! The guy who plays Antony is married to the director (Leah Gardiner) of Antony & Cleopatra, and Cleopatra is married to Octavius. Aggripa is married to the stage manager of Antony & Cleopatra. Pompey is getting married to someone who used to be in connected to the festival. Enobarbus is married to someone who used to be connected to the show...

and you wouldn't know it because, as a friend in the cast put it, "no one changes their frickin' name anymore!"

Anyway. It's been fun yet hard. I'm much more confident with Phebe of "As You Like it" than Charmian of "Antony & Cleopatra", but that's probably because I've spent more time in/with her  I'm enjoying it all around. I'm looking forward to creating and finding more and more dimensions to both roles. And...how awesome is it that I get paid to do this?! I truly am blessed from above! -Nickclette Izuegbu




Guest Blogger - @jesimieljenkins - Moving to LA (Part 2) /  by *nickels*


If you guys may recall, my friend Jesimiel wrote, a couple of weeks back, about why he chose to move to LA in pursuit of his dreams of working as a host in the entertainment industry. Below, my dear friend elaborates one what he's learned in the last six months since he's been there. It's an eye opener and I think for all artists hoping to make it in LA, or any major metropolis (read: NYC, London, Paris, Tokyo, Rio... etc), you can learn a lot from his experiences.

Three things I’ve learned so far:


A career in the entertainment business is EXPENSIVE. 
-You must be willing to make a sizable investment in yourself to be taken seriously
            -This means paying for really great headshots
            -This means enrolling in ongoing acting classes at a good studio
            -This means buying great clothes that make people notice you when you walk into the audition room

Many people in LA want to be successful but few want to work for it.
-Many people want THAT life, that Beverly Hills life, but few will invest in themselves and work for it.
-It’s important to consistently work towards your goals in a sprawling city like LA and do things that you’re passionate about
-You don’t want to end up another embittered and angry artist serving tables and waiting for Steven Spielberg to walk in and notice you- take your career and your life into your own hands

Drugs are very very real
-I had a very sheltered upbringing in the suburbs of Virginia. I knew what drugs were but they were a very distant reality
-In LA, drugs are a close reality
            -Seriously, keep your drink close at bars and don’t go to an “after-party” with someone you don’t know, there will probably be drugs there

None of the families in Wilkerson’s book aspired to grace the big screen, they just wanted higher wages for their families and to live without threat of racial violence.  However, as I near the end of Wilkerson’s book, I am humbly reminded that I stand on the shoulders of giants and that I am not the first to take this journey.  Though my experience dims in comparison to the present and blood-drenched reality my ancestors lived in the south, I take pride in their bravery as they, like I, made the courageous decision to act upon their dreams.       

follow him @jesimieljenkins on Twitter

I'm Acting... in the Houston Shakespeare Festival /  by *nickels*

So...this past Tuesday I began working, as an actor, in the Houston Shakespeare Festival. I was a perfect mix of excitement and nerves. I've had forays into the professional acting world, but it's my first gig post graduate school school. I was really looking forward to being in the rehearsal room again. It's been awhile, and if you know anything about actors, they thrive in rehearsal... they do not enjoy when they don't have a chance to perform.

Boy is it fun. Although I'm continually working on my writing and producing skills, I am an actor. Being in the room is great. I love that I get to meet so many new talented artists. They make so many strong, wonderful choices. I am constantly observing, listening, and writing down notes...you know to steal for later. HA! I love that I can contribute as well, and so far... I'm on par! I'm looking forward to digging deeper! Thus far, we've only worked on 'As You Like It.' The director, Marc Masterson, who's great to work with (and who also looks a like he could be related to Alan Thicke... it's a compliment), has chosen to set it in New Orleans and the swamp surrounding it. I play Phoebe. a shepherdess. So... ya' girl Nickclette gets to try her hand at that dialect! The role is fun and challenging, so much so that I find myself sweating, a lot. And, given that we are doing this show outdoors, in the heat, in Houston TEXAS, I don't think I'm gonna do much in the way of makeup. 

We've already begun staging it and it's only day three. We haven't gotten to 'Antony & Cleopatra' yet, directed by Leah Gardiner, but I'm excited (and nervous) to begin. We have about three weeks of rehearsal for both shows before tech. It'll be the shortest rehearsal period I've ever had.

In the words of contemporary poet Waka Flaka Flame... "Oh let's do it! Yup!"



Three Things Senator Wendy Davis Taught Me About Life /  by *nickels*

This past Tuesday, I had the privilege to witness Senator Wendy Davis filibuster an oppressive abortion bill that would ultimately shut-down all but 5 clinics in the state of Texas. I am indeed pro-choice. I think every woman has the right to choose what happens to HER body. The ramifications for the passage of such a bill are quite horrific. The bill would ONLY allow for the procedure to be performed in a handful of cities including Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio. Those cities are within a 3.5/4 hour radius of each other on the west side of the state. It takes more than 15 hours to drive across Texas!!! The bigger picture though, is that these facilities are the go to places for a lot of poor, uninsured women throughout this state and many nearby states as well for things like birth control, breast exams, and health checks.

I am not ashamed to say that it made me quite emotional seeing Sen. Davis literally give her body and her voice for so many that could not. I (re)learned 3 big lessons from her that can be applied to everyday life!
1. PREPARATION is key - 
  • Sen. Davis and her democratic senate minority cohort had collected binders upon binders of stories, articles, and research to read from to take up the 13 hour filibuster time block.
  • She knew what she was talking about and had retorts ready when she was questioned
  • She wore the now infamous pink Mizuno Women’s Wave Rider 16 Running Shoe for the long haul. No heels for this battle
2. It helps to have PEOPLE -
  • Frequently, her fellow Democrat Senators would stand around her for support
  • Her office, with the help of social media, was able to keep collecting stories that they would then send to her to read ensuring that she had enough material
  • Her Democrat fellows would eek the time... essentially running the clock by asking her questions that asserted their beliefs.... and spoke very slowly. LOL
3. In the end, it comes down to YOU - 
  • Even though she had some support, it was SHE that had to stand for the entirety of the filibuster, even after there was some dispute as to whether a not a vote on the bill passed.
  • SHE had the responsibility of thinking quickly on her feet when questioned by Republican senators.
  • SHE spoke from her experiences and from what people would consider a mistake, being a teenage mother. And then she rocked it out at Harvard Law!
  • SHE had to stand, she had to exhaust herself, she had to fight. And had it not been for the conviction of her values and what she wanted, she would not have been successful! 

Ain't Nobody Got Time For That: Working Amidst Self-Doubt /  by *nickels*

I am a worrier by nature... well my present nature. I don't think think I was always this way and I certainly hope not to be when I hit 30/35/30. (Everyone always talks about hitting those ages as this amazing time of "don't-give-any-fucks" with such joy and serenity. But that's where I sit now. And I don't like it. I really don't like it. It can be immensely overwhelming to think about how something, someone, some choice from your past may detrimentally affect your future. Hell, by the sheer virtue of my blackness, I may not get a job from some company. And what if I really wanted that job!? Or, the fact that I went to Harvard makes people give me a second glance, as if some institution makes you better? I mean, I'll take that advantage, but that doesn't guarantee me anything. Or, what about that potentially infamous picture that's on Facebook (don't go looking for it) that some "frenemy" won't take down? Or, that one time I.......  Or, the fact that I am pro-choice (not pro-terminate)... but pro-choice and I decide to express the values? So forth and so on. I won't divulge every victory or failure of my past of which in the latter there are many... but you see how my mind works? 

The only solution I've found on my worst day seems trivial... and on my best day seems life- affirming. 
  • Say/Pray something to God/Higher Power/Heavens/Universe
  • Connecting with good, honest people with whom you can talk and fellowship
  • Be outside in nature listening to the little miracles, ie birds chirping, wind blowing, rain drops hitting the ground, bugs trynna bite me (I think I may have been a tree in another lifetime. HA!)
  • Writing
  • And recite the serenity prayer. Like a lot. Like.. to the point where my shoulders relax. Reminding myself that I can't control everything and attempting to, will surmount in a massive panic attack.
So in the meantime, I'm going to work on things I CAN control, like publishing a book of monologues this fall, and keepin it movin'. Cause when it comes to worry.... "ain't nobody got time for that."



Guest Blogger: @jesimieljenkins - Moving to LA - Part 1 /  by *nickels*

Jesimiel and I met during the year I lived in Philadelphia working as an Education Fellow at the Wilma Theater, a Teaching Artist for Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and developing my craft as  a performer and writer. Jesimel recently moved to LA to pursue a career in TV hosting. When I remembered the fascinating discussions we had about being African American, intellectual, and creative, I thought he'd offer a fascinating perspective. Featured below is Part I of his journey to LA. He's brutally honest and I dig it. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

I’m reading a remarkable book right now.  In fact, so remarkable that it seems to mirror my life at the moment.  It’s called The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and could easily be hailed as the first major work of nonfiction concerning the Great Migration, the period between 1915 until 1970 when black families uprooted from the south to make new homes in urban areas of northern cities.  They were drawn by increased wages, a better quality of life, and mostly less discrimination.  Wilkerson chronicles the lives of three different families from the moment they left the south up until the book was completed.  The title is from a poem by Richard Wright:

I was leaving the South
To fling myself into the unknown…
I was taking a part of the South
To transplant in alien soil,
To see if it could grow differently,
If it could drink of new and cool rains,
Bend in strange winds,
Respond to the warmth of other suns
And, perhaps, to bloom.


I started reading this book before I decided to move to Los Angeles back in January.  I’d spent the last three years in Philadelphia working at an art museum and dispassionately auditioning for theatre roles here and there when something came along that I actually liked.  Much like the families in Wilkerson’s book, I was fed up. I felt that there was a glass ceiling for minority actors in such a small theatre market and my dreams were waiting for me somewhere up near Jupiter. I decided to move to Philadelphia with the hopes of padding my resume with good roles but after months of auditioning and being looked over for someone far worse than I and seeing lackluster and lifeless productions of wonderful pieces of theatre, I realized I was in bad soil.  So, after some soul-searching and after losing my dad in 2011, I decided to hitch a U-Haul to the back of my Nissan Rogue and traverse west for a new life, more opportunity, and more fertile soil. I needed the warmth of other suns.   


Side note: I totally had a nerd moment when I read that he'd been reading "Warmth of Other Suns" because the book was the basis for work I did in a class I took while in graduate school on self-generated work. Some of the best creative writing I've been able to do. 

To reach Jesimiel you can follow him on Twitter @jesimieljenkins or email him at jesimieljenkins@blallywood.com.


Help Me Edit Episode 1 /  by *nickels*

Hey Guys!

Remember the episodes that I spoke about writing in this post here? Well, I've published episode 1 on Scribd.com! Click the link below. I'd love any feedback from you guys to help me make it better. Let me know what you like, don't like, and are curious about! Let's get editing.


Guest Blogger: Jelisa1987 - "The Quietest People Have The Loudest Minds" /  by *nickels*

“The quietest people have the loudest minds.”

My friends don’t think I’m quiet.  In fact, I’m sure they wish I would shut up!  It’s when I get into the workplace that I calm down.  I become quiet.  I may joke a bit here or there but I’m generally chill… which causes people to think I’m shy.  People assume so much about the quietest person in the group.  They think that they are timid and meek because they aren’t yakking at every comment brought up in the conversation but what I’ve noticed about those who choose their words wisely is that they are key observers and some of the brightest people you’ll ever meet.


During my first week of working as a program tutor to high school students, I wasn’t the loud one, the flamboyant tutor.  I worked hard to make sure everything was getting done.  My goal was not to make jokes and play around (although after hours my co-workers and I did that).  Work is what I’m getting paid for.  The thing about working so hard is that you miss out on the moments where the fun and laughter happens. Bonding. I usually suck it up and remind myself that that is what breaks, after hours and weekends are for.  I’m here to do a job.


Working with so many different personalities has taught me so much about life.  I’ve been dealing with so much personally. If you are quiet, don’t be afraid to speak up when you need to.  A closed mouth doesn’t get fed.  Not everyone is going to notice your hard work and effort but work hard anyway.  If you need to assert your presence do so (in a kind way).  Remember that your thoughts, ideas and emotions are valuable to the world and you don’t have to change for anyone.  

J

Jelisa1987 is a self-professed "Black Girl, Latin World blogger. Houston raised. Jesus Saved. Leader. Fighter. Writer. K∆X. Afro-Latino advocate. World traveler. Spanish Speaker."

She has an ardent passion for lots of things and one of her biggest goals is to find a way to merge her interest in the arts, activism, and Afro-Latino culture. I think she can do it. Do you? To here more of her musings follow her on Twitter @Jelisa1987.

Guest Bloggers Are A-Comin'!!!! /  by *nickels*

Hey Guys

Although many of you believe in my inherent genius, I figure two heads are still better than one. Heck, three heads are better than one. There's a lot to be gained from having multiple voices and perspectives come in to conversation with one another. This dialogue allows us question our own beliefs and become more knowledge and aware about the subtle grey areas that represent our cultural consciousness. (Geez, I feel like I'm writing a pair. Ick). As such, in the vein of sharing what "Eaze Way Says," I decided to ask a few of my friends to do the same and become regular guest bloggers! They all have connection to the arts and/or entertainment industry, but they also have interests that extend far beyond my own. It's my belief that this collective sharing will offer some great fellowship and great support.


Writing A Monologue.... Why Try?! /  by *nickels*

So, my writing/editing session had to be rescheduled and THAT bummed me out. BUT since I know that continually creating work is imperative to my career success and overall trajectory, I am moving on to another new project in the mean time.

If you didn't know, actors, always have to audition. That's the real job, auditioning. If you can imagine constantly having to go on a job interview, sometimes 2 or 3 times in a day...actually don't. That's the annoying bit, especially for me because I just want to act, not clamor to get the chance to do it. But, one of the things that I have learned in my many years of auditioning is that one of the best ways to set myself up for success in an audition is to pick good material that resonates with me. It may speak to my personal experience or it may just scare/excite me in some way. Since I know me best....  why don't I just write with my own monologues? Why don't I! As my friend Mark Brown II told me

"Make the art that you want to make. Be critical later. Some ideas are great on paper and suck in life and some ideas aren't the best on paper but ROCK in real life."

So, my next project will come from that. My inspiration? Music that I love. To be honest, this idea started when I saw a quote from the infamous 1999 summer jam by Sisqo entitled "The Thong Song." You laugh now, but can you imagine a monologue that seriously dealt with the concept of the thong? Or a monologue where the protagonist IS a thong? HAHAHA. I'm cracking myself up just thinking about it.

It may be a tremendous failure, or... it could be my biggest piece of genius. So, let me know what your favorite songs are, and I might make a monologue based on your inspiration. I'm looking to make at least 1 good one but I'll write 10. And in case, if you've forgotten:

Episode 3 Has Arrived.... /  by *nickels*

Today I am meeting with a mentor writer friend of mine to get some feedback on episodes I've written for my most recent webseries currently entitled "Siblings." (My family is secretly hoping they are(not) featured in it. LOL.


I'm so excited. I may or may not cry. I may or may not get defensive. I may or may not want to quit afterwards.


Yeah... that's a crock. I'm going to love every uncomfortable awesome moment of it. The part that's probably going to be the most annoying isn't that I'll have to make edits... I love edits. That part that's going to be the most annoying is that now I have to start working on my next project. Idea development never ends. You have to keep writing. There isn't one idea. It's not genius to just write one piece. Genius and excellence develop from a disciplined practice. We don't just have the MacBook... we have the iPad, the iPod, the... well you see where I am going with this. Keep working! guys

Encouraging Others, Encouraging Yourself /  by *nickels*

It's important to accept that I will, at the core, be who I was born to be. I can make modifications and adjustments as I move on the quest to better myself. However, I should remind myself that I am who I am and shouldn't compare myself or my ambitions to others. I should instead try to be better... the best version of myself and improve on that! That is ehre I will find joy.


What Creative Types (Should) Do At Night /  by *nickels*

I find myself sitting through a bout of insomnia and arriving officially at the morning and realizing I have spent the entire night watching inspirational videos from people I admire. People like Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey and yes, Chelsea Handler. But, I also spent a LOT of time watching choreography videos on youtube. Granted, I doubt I'll ever dance behind to Beyonce on stage in a corps of female dancers (although... hey girl, I'm from H-Town, let's meet up!) But I still LOVE to dance. I really do! Something about music and movement coming together frees. It's amazing to see these people craft work for themselves that has the ability to transform someone's mood and inspire them. It's exciting and rather humbling to know that perhaps one day I can do that for another.

Of course, perhaps I should have spent the evening.... morning... twilight... whatever, writing or doing something more produc... active, I think it jumpstarted my day... or my all-nighter... whatever, you know what I mean. And since I'm prone to sharing these golden nuggets, here's a video I found particularly enjoyable. The dancers seem so happy, so talented, AND the editing for the clip was amazing. Looks like something gooberish that I would do. I'm gonna still something from it. I also need to take more editing classes or shadow more projects.

Signed
Goober or EazeWaySays

PS. These video is still a reminder that I need to go out and purchase... have a friend gift me Rosetta Stone : The French Edition.

Guillaume Lorentz - Beautiful People (Chris Brown) Exclusively Fun Time

A Problem With Kickstarter /  by *nickels*

As an up-and-coming media mogul, which I can say because this is my blog and I can say what I want,  utilizing Kickstarter, and sites like it, to help fund projects and ventures I have in mind is something I'm definitely thinking about doing. I've seen it help fund projects for friends and I think it's great. You can tap into a supporter fan-base to help you fund and remain in creative control of your idea. It supports that old-age adage "I have the toys, so I decide when we play" or as the famous song goes "It's my partyI can cry if I want to."

Most recently the most successful Kickstarter was that of producer Rob Thomas to fund a Veronica Mars movie to follow-up the now defunct show. The success of this project was greeted with a surge of attention to Kickstarter by more than just "the little people" and has been embraced by celebrities. I, don't necessarily have a problem with that. It's hard to get a movie made and maintain control if you don't have the fundage (yeah, I made that word up... I think). But not everyone is okay with that.

"Jon Lajoie, one of the stars of FX’s comedy The League was even inspired to start a faux-Kickstarter campaign earlier this week, featuring a searing video that satires Thomas, Braff and the other celebrities that have begun to turn to their audiences for direct financial backing." -Buzzfeed 
Read the rest of the article here.

 Check it out below. I think it's hilarious and won't lie... feels like a little bit of truth. #preach

Empowering Yourself Through Entrepreneurship /  by *nickels*

I found this article Secrets of Start-Up Queens: How to Launch a Successful Business in Today’s Entrepreneurial Economy while I was on Buzzfeed today. The articles discusses the experiences of supermodel and business tycoon Iman and model and social media queen Coca Rocha. It struck a cord with me because I want to have longevity in my career and be more than just an actress. I want to have a platform and a voice. Here is a highlight from the article:

"Iman spoke of photoshoots early in her career, and the struggle to find makeup shades that matched her skin color. (Incidentally, the first time she wore makeup at all was on her first shoot.) So, years later with her supermodel status cemented, she decided to start her own eponymous makeup line targeted toward women of color. To be taken seriously as a businesswomen, though, she said she needed to “divorce herself from the [fashion] industry.”

 I stopped going to fashion parties and networked not with fashion people but [with] business people. And I asked for help from executives. You will not believe, when you reach out and ask to be mentored by another female executive, how you will be uplifted.

 Coco Rocha then told the audience she’d been peppering Iman with “entrepreneurial questions” in turn. While Iman branded a product she felt passionate about, Coco made herself the brand: “This is awkward because I’m listening to these ladies that are powerful businesswomen and I’m like uh… ME!”

 She spoke of wanting to create a well-known persona in the same way the “old era” of supermodels did. She said, “I noticed that no-one knew much about me and no-one cared to know [either].” She cited social media as the way she’s created a personality to accompany the face. (As of writing, Rocha has 550,607 Twitter followers and 427,066 on Instagram. She recently wrote a “Why I Instagram” column for Vogue.)

 [As a model] I had no way to have a voice — so in order to have a longer, more successful career, I started a blog. I wrote about nothing; I remember one post was about a bird named Tweety. And people were like, ‘Tweety’s so cool, he’s fantastic.’ I thought, ‘this is really awesome, I have an audience!’

Johnny Cash-ing In /  by *nickels*

As a human being, an artist, an perhaps a girl who's had quite the circuitous past, I look up to a lot of successful people who have made more than one mistake in their life. It helps me see that great success can emerge from the darndest of places. A flower can grow from a crack in the cement, there is a diamond in the ruff, and you can find that needle in the haystack. 

Today I found a quote that read "A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them and strong enough to correct them" from John C Maxwell. 

I think the quote is simply amazing. And I think a lot of people struggle with demons, sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully, but to be able to make great art from it... that's power. And to be able to commiserate with others and grow in compassion because of your struggle is also quite beautiful. 



When I thought about it, and perhaps because the author of that quote name starts with John, Johnny Cash immediately came to mind. He struggled with addiction and landed in jail numerous times, albeit for one night stints, he used it to his benefit. There's power and beauty in that. And he even grew to have compassion for prisoners so much so that he gave concerts at prisons. He eventually got his act together and curtailed his use of drugs and run-ins with the law and still exists today as an icon in the legacy of American culture.

It does get better. It is circuitous. You can make magic happen when you least expect it. Just... Johnny Cash that shit!