Ah so it's been some time yet again. A lot has happened since then. But then again it wouldnt be me if there wasnt something going on. I just performed Die Fledermaus at Hofstra, and it was amazing! But more on that in a moment.

September and October were pretty ho hum, although i did start working at a different restaurant. Same bullshit, different place lol. November was good, Thanksgiving especially cause i made a massive feast enjoyed by all and for many many days. But December is really where things felt like they were changing. I got offered a job at Apple, which i should start by the end of this month, my voice really came into its own, with a lot of help and guidance from my rockstar teacher, and i felt a whole new sense of confidence and an aura of peace came over me. Gone were the days of worrying if my voice would fail me, if I was even good enough to be doing this. My work ethic changed a lot too, especially when it came to music. I had been cast as Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with a second guy, but it was his first foray into Opera so it was all a big unknown.

Even so I worked my butt off to make sure I was prepared for the second day of January when rehearsals started. And as soon as they started things really turned unusual. It was a sprint, everyday from 10 or 11 am until sometimes 930pm. Long, tiring days spent with some of the greatest cast members ever. Everyone seemed to be prepared and worked on things on their own. I could tell I was born for a role like this, lots of stage time, lots of acting, lots of singing and being able to express all the emotions. It had power (Act 3), energy (Act 1 duet), passion (Act 2 duet) and everything else in between. So much excitement and so much hard work, if you looked at my past, i was set up for a big fall.

But this time was destined to be different. This time, i could not fail. Rehearsals sped by and more and more i gained incredible confidence and trust in myself. It all internalized and was visible to all around me. I had regained that magnetism I had been known for when I first started this journey 7 years ago. The more confident I became, the easier to was to be myself for probably the first time in many years. I was able to joke around in rehearsal, engage myself completely with my fellow singers and truly pursue the best possible performance. Even when the orchestra was thrown in, I never felt that I was in over my head or that I would be holding things back.

Apparently the person I was before the whole Erin episode had found his way back into my skin. And it was evident to a lot of people that I wasnt the little kid anymore who lost his way and was far too cocky for his own good and trapped in a cycle of promise and epic failure. It's led to a problem (if i can even call it that) I didnt think i would run into again for a while. What's my next step? This life of great potential now has room to run, has been shot out of a cannon and I can only go up from here. My professional life is taking flight and I can see the destination around the corner, I can feel the warmth of the lights and the cheers of the audience and the love of the people around me.

In addition to my success in the professional realm, ive experience a renewed faith in my personal life. The confidence I gained and showed and the maturity ive somehow attained (probably by necessity) have made my life much easier to enjoy. Ive somehow managed to become a person people like being around, someone who is a good friend, a great partner and castmember, and someone who is looked up to for inspiration and relied on to show the way to a younger generation. I havent had that in a while. Its the kind of pressure I live for, because its the right kind. The recognition and accolades are all well and good, but to inspire and be thought of in these lights are truly moving.

The final piece is almost in place, the question is...