Hello City of Brotherly Love

At times we make decisions with our heart and believe that it is what we truly want. So we take a leap. Before the show in New Hampshire, I started dating someone new. He was nice, supportive, and most importantly loved my daughter. After Yellowman, we all moved in together. Then I had to figure out where Maya should attend school. I settled on a local neighborhood Catholic School. To say that she found the adjustment difficult is putting it mildly. She continued to battle with her expressive and receptive speech disorder, while trying to figure out social norms. At the same time I was  trying to figure out why I had landed in Philly. I felt very isolated and unable to move forward. I wanted to get to Jersey so that I could be closer to NYC. I tried to schedule auditions locally and in NYC. But each time I attempted, Maya needed me more and more.

She needed to know that I would not leave. She needed to know more structure. She also needed me to be in her corner with little to no distraction. 

The reason why there are not many details about the relationship is because this is not a relationship blog. This is about the decisions that were made as I attempted to be a better mother and find my way. And sometimes we meet individuals who are simply a part of the journey. And I had to navigate more Booms. 

Boom! I can no longer go out of town for work. Boom Boom! We need to get our own place. Boom Boom Boom! I may need to get a real job since my agent decided to not assist me during this transition.

I quickly realized that once your heart starts something, your sheer will and faith have to finish it. No matter the fact that I held 2 degrees, jobs continued to be elusive. This led to more financial stress. When I went to the School District of Philadelphia, they informed me that non-certified teachers earned $40 per day. (I laughed out loud too) I started the process of getting a teaching certificate in Pennsylvania. Thank goodness I found a company that hired substitute teachers for charter schools and paid $120 per day. Thank goodness I taught theater for grades 4 and 5 in West Philly. It was arduous and costly. As I finished the certification process, I finally got a call for an interview at a new charter school and that gave me the necessary funds to relocate. The pay was exactly $5,000 more than my first teacher salary in 1996. Boom!

I became the 9^th Grade English teacher. I quickly switched gears and settled into this new part of my life. I love all aspects of English especially literature and writing. It was important that each of my students understood how to write and express themselves. I pushed them to analyze characters and themes, but I also pushed their creativity. I wanted them to develop a love for reading and the belief that they could do anything they put their mind to.

Yes. I left one path and re-discovered one that I had been on before. But, I still mailed headshots and resumes in order to find a local agent. And 6 months later...