Vision, Imagine, Dream

Yesterday was a momentous day for me. Barack is now The Democratic nominee for President. What made me feel more awestruck is that it fell on the 45th anniversary of The March on Washington. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a true visionary. He lived and died by that vision. Now, how that does that relate to me or you? Whatever your politics are and who your voting for, doesn't concern me. What does is do have a vision of your life? Do you live according to that dream life you want? I say all of that to share this.

After Barack's speech, I was pumped. I began reading my current diary. My diary starts in 9/07 to now. I read up till March '08. What I found startling is something I truly never noticed until now. That most of the ideas and dreams that have happened in my present day had been already been written in my diary months ago. The seeds of my future inherent in my past. We all know this in theory. Have you ever seen it? And I was blown away. For example, in November I kept talking about how I wanted to do a blog. I wrote so much about it until I finally took the plunge to start Swanofdreamers.

If you feel lost, hopeless or blah, go back to your diaries, art or old blog posts. Who you are is embedded in all in it. It's there for you to see. Your vision of your life is waiting for you. Now that vision may not manifest today, three months now or even a year later. I believe if you keep doing, dreaming, praying and working toward that vision. One day it is going to be real.

Have a beautiful Friday.

Kiss of Autumn

I have been reading at other blogs about everyone feeling autumn coming. It's true. I went out walking yesterday on the track. It was actually chilly. I spotted the first few leaves beginning to fall and scattered around their trees. Now, as I watch the sunset, I noticed the colors. They glow in bright reds, yellows and oranges echoing the colors of the autumn leaves. The nights are starting to become longer slowly. I have to admit, my favorite season is Winter. Partly because I'm born during the season. Each the seasons have a beauty to them. I cherish them all. As Autumn grows closer, I wonder on all the great things that this season will bring. I welcome them with open arms.

Pre-Code Movies

Since May, I have been watching more Pre-code movies. This covers movies from 1929-1934 before The Motion Picture Code was strictly enforced. They are full of dames, gansters, divorce, illicit affairs and everything else thrown in. Kind of sound like today, right? The movies during this time period are very modern to me. The best ones are surprisingly fresh, witty and outrageous.

The ones I have seen recently are:
Christopher Strong (1933)- Kate Hepburn
She Done Him Wrong (1933)- Mae West and Cary Grant.
I'm No Angel (1933)- Mae and Cary (again).
Baby Face (1933)- Barbara Stanwyck.
Night Nurse (1931)- Barbara Stanwyck.
Dinner at Eight (1933)- Jean Harlow, John Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore.
Imitation of Life (1934)- Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers.

What is curious to me as an African American actress is the way we are portrayed. In Baby Face, Barbara Stanwyck's best buddy is an African American woman named Chico (Theresa Harris). Chico is clearly her friend not her maid. She gets quite a bit of screen time. Of course, Imitation of Life with not only Louise Beavers in a leading role; also, Fredi Washington as her daughter Peola. Fredi was African American unlike the 1959 version that had a white actress play Peola. It is a frank tale of race and motherhood for the 30's.

They show pre-code movies on Turner Classic Movies all the time. So take a look. I'm sure you can also netflix them or take some out from your local library. You'll be entertained and surprised at the range of themes found in these movies.

Monday Blues

You ever get those Monday blues? I have some of this today. Bills are coming in, need new head shots, restrategize who to recontact for acting jobs, stick to my walking plan, etc. Yeah, so you get the idea. The list goes on and on. I learned a trick from my friend Sean. You have to retrain your mind. Get your mind to think on other things that make you happy. Let's be real, worrying and fretting just wastes your energy. So as I take action, to make my plans concrete. I plan on occupying my mind on the beautiful and the gracious. Here's one of those beautiful things I like to watch. This is one of my favorite commercials. It came out two or three years ago. This is the extended version. I love it also because my Gram use to wear Chanel No.5. Enjoy and have a wonderful Monday.

Friday

It is Friday!! I am feeling good. I got a callback from the independent film I auditioned for last week. I finally got to see My Dark Knight and reconnect with him. I have gotten the most amazing lesson this week. Something I wanted to occur about ten years ago is happening now. Now, I see that some dreams just aren't ready to bloom when we want them to. We assume that it means that we failed or we weren't good enough. The truth is certain dreams need more time to blossom. If something or someone is meant for you, it will be yours. It is so much more beautiful and special to receive it when you least expect it.
Have a wonderful Friday everyone.

Fun for Thursday

Your result for The Perception Personality Image Test...

NBPC - The Daydreamer

Nature, Background, Big Picture, and Color

You perceive the world with particular attention to nature. You focus on the hidden treasures of life (the background) and how that fits into the larger picture. You are also particularly drawn towards the colors around you. Because of the value you place on nature, you tend to find comfort in more subdued settings and find energy in solitude. You like to ponder ideas and imagine the many possibilities of your life without worrying about the details or specifics. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You are a down-to-earth person who enjoys going with the flow.

Take The Perception Personality Image Test at HelloQuizzy

DreamThought

Meditate on whatever causes a Revolution in your mind

from Eat,Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Romantic life

I usually don't do double posts. I felt compelled to do so today. I rarely talk about my romantic life. Hey, even on a blog you should have a bit of mystery. Well, there is a special man in my life I call my Dark Knight. We have been trying to see each other for weeks now and something always come up. Seriously, we have been thwarted at every turn. Last night was no exception. So we are going to try again tonight. Hopefully, the stars will smile down on us. The song is I can't seem to make you mine by Clientele. I know this is not positive thinking. I play this when I feel so frustrated. It soothes me in an odd way. The song is from one of my favorite movies: The Lake House. Enjoy. Keep you fingers crossed for me.

Blog Around The World

Do you want to see blogs from your own state or another country?I happened to find this blog by a wonderful lady named Debbie who wants to link up bloggers from all over. Stroll over to Blog Around The World and sign up. Yesterday started spotlighting blogs from Louisiana. Tomorrow heading to Maryland and Minnesota. You may find some new friends.

Happy Birthday Angela

Forgive me for being a bit late with this birthday love. There have been a slew of birthdays I have missed including Halle (Aug 14) and Pam Grier (May 26). On a later date, I have to go back and do the birthdays I missed.

I am a day late, I still have much love for my next birthday lady. She is powerful, dynamic, beautiful and owns the screen whenever she comes on. I'm talking about Angela Bassett. Who turned 50 yesterday! I'm hoping to look at good as 50 as Angela does. Whether she is setting it off as Tina Turner (her Oscar nominated turn) or Bernadine in Waiting to Exhale. Wanting to rediscover herself as Stella in Stella Got Her Groove Back or showing strength and courage as Rosa Parks in the Rosa Park Story. Angela is always authentic and real. Whatever her character is feeling you feel it to. To me a true mark for a great actor. She is married to her honey, Courtney B. Vance( who is good actor in his own right) and has two adorable children.

I happened to find angiebnews which is all about Angela. So check it out. I give much love and respect to my girl, Angela. She is one of a kind!! Happy Birthday Angela and many more to come.

P.S. This is just my opinion, I felt she should have been Storm in The X-Men movies. She would have rocked the part.

Happy Full Moon

It's the Full Moon tonight in my sign: Aquarius. So enjoy your Saturday and howl at the moon if you feel like it! Here's my new dreamboard. Suzie inspired me to do one every month. Keeps you on your toes.

Back to Back

I had auditions on back to back days. My first one yesterday was for a music video. No, not a booty shaking video! This one is a heartfelt song from an singer-songwriter named Charlie Hewson about his favorite waitress. I thought that was so sweet.
Today, I had one for an independent film. I was a bit to animated during the first read through. I think the rush of nervousness just caught me. By the second time, I felt a lot more comfortable and more in tune with the conversational tone of the script. Then the director had me go and work on a monologue from the script for about 15 minutes. And come back to do it again. The third time is the charm as they say. I feel I really hit it with the monologue.
So callbacks for the film are in early September. And the music video shoots around the same time. Will I get one or maybe both? Who knows? I have to wait and see. I feel I had a productive two days. So I now can look forward to my weekend.

Everyone have a wonderful Friday!

Follow and Believe in your Dream

To succeed, we must first believe that we can.- Michael Korda

How long do you keep following your dream? When is time to throw in the towel and walk away. And you to say to yourself, I'm going to get a real job and join everyone else to be a 9-5er. There is a many a day I have quit acting. It always lasts about a day or two. Because soon, I'm ready to look for acting work again, brush up on my monologues, go through my ross reports to see who I need recontact.

So back to my original question, how long do you follow your dream? If you need a rest or a break from your creative dream, I think that is a good thing. We all need a vacation now and then. If you give up on your dream, how will your life be afterward? Will you spend your time filled with regret, longing, bitterness? Hey, does that sound like people you know in your life already? A dream is not some wish that you make carelessly. A real dream is something that is part of your soul. If you quit your dream then in a way your denying a part of you.

I'm here to say don't give up. Whatever it is you want to do. There is a way to get there. Sometimes you find the way or the way finds you. I am striving to make my dreams manifest right along with you. The road can get hard sometimes, remember your not alone. One day, those dreams are to come true. We only have to believe!!

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.- Edison


We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat. They do not exist.- Queen Victoria

Dismiss what insults your soul

This weekend the double loss of Bernie Mac and Issac Hayes really shook me. It made me sad that both of these men who are actively creative forces had to pass away in an untimely fashion. My prayers are with both of their families right now.

Sunday, I had a great day with my family. When I got home with a bag full of goodies for me, I noticed a note for me from a family member. She gave me a lovely card with a note written in it. What she wrote was basically her concerns about my life right now. She just wants me to have a safe life. I got depressed.

Being an artist is never about being safe. Most of the time it is flying without a net. If your not an artist, you don't understand that. I guess from outside eyes we look like we are drifting or out of step with the world. What I came to late last night. I have to accept that people can support my choices as an actor but there is only so much they can understand. I have always known this. Last night, it got driven home.

I was listening to an inspiration podcast to get me back on track. The guest quoted the poet Walt Whitman. I let it marinate in my mind. I wanted to share this with all of you. Just keep building on your dreams despite what people say around you. If you don't believe me, then listen to Walt. Remember dismiss what insults your soul!!!

“This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun, and animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence towards the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men; go freely with the powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and mothers, of families: read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life: re-examine all you have been told at school or church, or in any books, and dismiss whatever insults your soul.”

Love for Bernie Mac

I woke up this morning and called my mom. She told me Bernie Mac had died. I was totally thrown because he had just gotten out of the hospital the other day. He was so young to pass at 50. My mom said you know what at least he got to live his dreams. She is right, though he was much to young to leave, he lived and did what he came here to do. To make us laugh, think and entertain us. So here's to you Bernie Mac. And to all of us to remember we never know when our time is to come. So live your dreams just like Bernie Mac did.

This is from Kings of Comedy. There is adult language in it, so you have been warned.

Friday Jam

I love Fridays!! They always have a mellow feel to the day regardless of what you are doing. This is one of my favorite Maxwell songs. Maxwell you have been having us wait to long for you new music!! Anyway, enjoy. This song goes out to my Dark Knight. Have a wonderful Friday.

84 Charing Cross Road

Tonight I watched a gem of a movie titled 84 Charing Cross Road (1987) that I taped from Turner Classic Movies. It stars Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins. It's based on a book of the same name about the true story of American writer named Helene Hanff (Anne Bancroft) who begins a twenty year long friendship with an English bookseller named Frank Dole(Anthony Hopkins). It is a character driven movie with great acting and writing. It is also an unexpected love story as well. Bancroft and Hopkins are wonderful in their roles. It is a charming and sweet film. Perfect for a summer evening cuddled up in your bed or on the sofa.

Back in Business

Finally after staying up till 2am in the morning and spending another couple of hours today searching, I found a blog design I like. I got a HTML book to help me so I can tweak the design myself. It's so funny that I learned HTML way back in High School but forgot all about it till recently. So I hope of all of you like the new look. As the days go on, I'm going to work on it more. I have to put back up my pictures and links as well. That won't take long. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday.

What's in a name?

Michelle is my name. Shell is my nickname. My mom always calls me Shell and still does today. Only when I'm in trouble, did I get called Michelle. Most of my friends call me Shell. I'm fine with being called either names.

Being named Michelle does come with a problem. Most of the time people feel the urge to sing the song "Michelle" by The Beatles. It got to the point, I got weary of people singing it to me. If you are a Michelle, you know what I mean. Though I am named after the Beatles song, I never really dug the song. I know that's sacrilegious for a Michelle to admit. Then a couple of years ago, I found a version that I loved by Will Downing. And I had a copy of it and lost the song when my old computer crashed. I found it on You Tube over the weekend!! (I do love You Tube.)

If I ever get a chance to have my own T.V. show called The Michelle Show or The Shell Show. I know that's such an original title!! This is to be my theme song. I already did a little slideshow on myspace with the song. Anyway, enjoy the song.

Do you believe in Angels?

Do you believe in Angels? I do. I believe we all have a guardian angel that stays with us from the time we take our first breathe until our last. I love this painting by Edward Clay Wright. I believe in kick ass Angels not the cute chubby ones with wings. Why do I bring this up? Today, I had one of those days that I wish I would of stayed in. I went for a job interview and the interviewer never showed up! Went to pick up copies of my head shots and they turned out so-so. I almost cried on the train coming home a couple of times. And the soaring heat didn't help my mood.

I was feeling plain sorry for myself. Once I got into the sanctuary of my cool apartment, I began to feel better. Then I felt a spiritual pinch in my heart. I thought of all the unexpected blessings I got this week. On Tuesday, I got cast in a short film. I had only one line but the director and cast were so nice to me. It was fun. On Wednesday, I went to my friend, Ali's house to see the movie Penelope starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy. We both enjoyed it. Then yesterday, I won from Mystele one of her wonderful prints.

I knew it is my guardian angel giving me a heads up. I imagine my guardian angel to favor Seal in looks. He is about six-four with locs. I know I sometimes drive him mad. He is trying so hard to get me through this rough period. My usual sunny nature has been taken a beating this summer. It takes a lot more energy than usual to not sink into negativity.

We may feel like we have been abandoned or left behind, that is only an illusion. We are never alone and always loved. Whatever beliefs you have, all major religions believe in Angels. So give your guardian angel a break. When you say your prayers tonight or do your private rituals, say thank you. He or She will be so happy to acknowledged.

So to all of you and your guardian Angels have a lovely Friday.