Where did I go?!

I would like to apologize to my readers for my absence. And in this post I will explain to you what is happening. I was a bit confused. I have found a new passion and being the person I am I have given my undivided attention to it. My new-found passion is exercise/fitness/health. I have become a gym rat and LOVE it. I have started managing a personal fitness company that's just getting off its feet on the side. I am very passionate about my fitness and the company. But this has taken me to a really awkward place because it has left me no time for my acting. Furthermore, much in the Jasmine-fashion, I have become rather hermit-like and socialize very little. I realize I enjoy being a workaholic, but it's all about balance, and this will be a constant struggle for me!

So here I am trying to get balance back in my life. And so, I would like to announce for the first time EVER in the 24 years of my life I have started working out in the mornings before work to leave the evening open for my number one passion: acting. Yes, this means I am awake by 5 a.m. chugging coffee in my car whilst I drive to the gym. I had put this off for so long because changing my routine is something I hate and who wants to me up at 5 a.m. anyways? Well, I do now! I was so scared that if I moved my exercise to the morning it wouldn't happen and my new-found passion would quickly burn out, but that's where I was wrong. It's a passion, something I love, and this means I will do whatever I can to keep it in my life. 

Get your head in the game!!!

So I'm back in the game. I have an audition tonight for Shakespeare Miami's production of Romeo and Juliet. I am extremely excited because they are opening male roles to females (especially for fight scenes!). I am more excited just to go to an audition and get back in the game more than the idea of getting cast (which of course would be phenomenally exciting as well). I feel I got a very nice push from fate to get back. My friend from FSU, Nikki Lowe (thanks Nikkie!), told me about the audition. Had she not, who knows when I would have started auditioning.

It's exciting to see myself get healthier and wiser and it's entirely thanks to the beautiful people in my life so full of support and love.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Mark Sikes

Here is a link to a blog that I believe is INVALUABLE to actors. If you are looking for hope, direction, or inspiration Mark Sikes has it. Enjoy!

The Casting Corner

Kicking Selfish Habits

 ME ME ME!!!!!

I had a beautiful talk with one of my best friends Saturday night. She made me realize I had been pretty selfish since I moved down to Miami. She did not flat out say I was being selfish, but at the end of the conversation I realized that our friendship was suffering because I just wanted to do things for myself and sacrifice nothing in order to share time with her and other people in my life that I love.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in what I need and forget that there are people around me that also have needs or just a desire to share my company. I mean how beautiful is that? People want to spend time with me. What a precious gift I have been given and I am not even appreciating it. I have been religious about working out. I work full time and the majority of my free time is spent working out. This is obviously a necessity for an actor, but I am seeing that balance is key. I am in the zone and I am scared if I stop to hang out and socialize I will lose focus. I have  started a pattern that does not allow room for people in my life, and this is ludicrous. An acting career demands so much it is exhausting. I am not a full out "working actor" yet, and I am exhausted just thinking about the work this career entails, but this is not an excuse to bury myself in my work. What is the point of work, a career, a passion if you cannot share it with family, friends, or even strangers; if I am not allowing myself time to nurture relationships and allow them to nurture me? No person is an island, and guess what Jasmine? You are NOT the exception.

I have so many other things to post about life, and websites and blogs to share and I will do this so stay posted.

Thank you to those that are "following" this blog, and those that take the time to read it. Support is so priceless. And thank you to those that put the pressure on me to stay focused and be great. I love you all.

Put that Smile on Your Face!

 I learned this week the power of a smile, and more importantly, the power of a good attitude.

I have been searching for a gym since I moved down because if I go too long without working out I get cranky! I had been avoiding the sales person of this one particular gym I had called because the gym was expensive. I did want to go in and see it, but I didn't want to waste the sales person's time. I had decided I was going to tell him just that the next time he called. When I answered the phone I had apologized for not answering his calls blaming it partly on the fact I was still transitioning from the move (which is true) . He mentioned he totally understood because he was somewhat in the same boat. I asked where he was moving from, and from that point on we carried a  great conversation. He is from L.A. and worked in the music business over there, but decided to change careers and moved to da 305....holla!

Well, finally I had to tell him that although the gym looked great on the website, it was out of my price range and I really didn't want to waste his time. Being the good sales person he is, he insisted that I came in and offered to maybe work something out financially. I made him promise me he wouldn't get pissy if I decided I couldn't afford it. He laughed and said "Of course not. If you can't, you can't!" I went, I loved it, I joined, and mostly because of his help. Ok, so yeah, I flirted and upped my charm so of course that helped, but what really is flirting or charming someone? It's exuding confidence and a good attitude, and spicing it up with a smile and maybe the flip of your hair. So it works differently if I talk to a man rather than a woman, but I exude that same good attitude to both genders :) I just get more perks when I do it to men. I am just always careful not to take it too far.

After I signed up a personal trainer came up to me and we got to chit-chatting as well. We talked about my fitness goals, our love for basketball (he is a Knicks fan, which breaks my heart a bit, but it's all been forgiven), his love of coaching, and much more. I mentioned off-handedly I was an actor, and lo and behold he is a director who lived and worked professionally in New York for years. He is probably going to become my personal trainer, and I love it because we have already started forming some kind of bond or friendship just based on what we love and being open to sharing that.

So in one day I had "networked" with someone who lives in L.A. and has offered to help me when I make the transition over there, and another director from New York now living and working in Miami. Was I scheming to network when I walked into that gym? No way! I am just constantly pushing myself to look on the brightside, have a good attitude and be open to other people. Why not compliment somebody? Why not ask about their day or their life? I am not saying this for the sole purpose of "networking" as an actor, but as a human being; give to others, it feels great, and you never know what might happen because of it.

This post is already too long so I will leave this topic for another entry, but know that my good attitude has a lot of hard work behind it. I really used to be shy, and NEVER strike up a conversation. I probably had never joined a gym before in Miami because I would have to deal with cute men trying to sell me a membership. Now? Bring it on! It was and still is a work in progress, and it is so worth it in the end.

Did I mention the facility is GORGEOUS and slowly becoming my second home? If you live in Miami and want more information about the gym and where it is just shoot me an e-mail.

Here is a little gift. I have watched this video of countless times because it makes me so happy and is a great reminder to keep my head up:

Jessica's Daily Affirmation

Until next week, keep that smile on your face, look on the brightside, yeah it's cheesy as hell, but I have never seen a frown get anyone very far.

Jean Grey and My Transitory Woes

I'm cleaning my apartment!

Oh transitory woes. This past week has been a little up and a little down a little sideways and a little straight. If that makes any sense to you this makes me happy :) I want rhythm. I want it now. I want to be able to go to work, work out, audition, socialize, sleep, and I want it all in a rhythmic routine. Unfortunately this takes time, wahhh. 

I began stressing all the things I need to do, and how I need to get out there! Get out in the market here in Miami because the clock is ticking, how I need to join a gym, meet up with friends, give away half my stuff, cook, clean, do it all!! I feel I’m behind; everyone is running the race and I overslept and forgot my running sneakers. And so anxiety struck. I have been leaving the office in an irritable mood, randomly getting butterflies in my stomach, and not really understanding why until I realized I was adding extra stress to my life for no reason with all this rushing!

Luckily, I have the life experience of having moved to another city for college so transitioning is not something entirely new to me. Life has taught me that it is okay to spend time transitioning, I just tend to forget valuable life lessons once in a while, what can I say? Maybe others transition perfectly in two weeks, obviously I am not one of those people. Working 8 hours a day but really being gone 10 hours a day with traffic included really cuts your time down. I haven’t even finished organizing my apartment. I’ve been selling books on Amazon* so there are piles of books strewn all over. One of my very good friends told me my  apartment looks like someone threw a hand-grenade in it. And you know what? He’s right and THAT’S OKAY. It’s okay to not have it all down right away. I believe that means I’m...hold on....wait for it...oh yeah, human! 

It’s good to push myself but bad to overwhelm myself because then I freeze! I think deep down inside I have a desire to be Jean Grey (and let’s face it some telekinetic powers would definitely help my messy apartment!) so I can do it all with some superpower force, but I’m not Jean Grey so my only other option is to suck it up and deal with my transitory woes until I get my rhythm. And maybe I can deal with my Jean Grey desires during Halloween :)

*If you are moving or trying to reduce your belongings, selling on Amazon is an amazing idea. I have sold 11 books in the past 4 days. It’s pretty good money, but it’s still money, especially if you are moving and trying to reduce your load of crap, this is a great way to do it! It’s so exciting!

Flying High

Howdy! So this is the beginning of a good, long journey. I recently graduated from Florida State University with a B.A. in Theatre and three months later I find myself in Miami, FL (where I grew up) working as a receptionist in an office. This is exciting! Maybe not so much the receptionist part, but I am on my own ready to begin the guessing game or trial-and-error experience that is life! 


So what is an actor doing in an cold office all day? Paying her bills! So this is where I am. I need money, I need to stabilize my life before I go out there and "do it." I need to keep the fire burning though and this is proving to be difficult when you have bills to pay, friends to see, a body to keep in shape, and sleep to be slept. But it can and will be done. This blog and my followers are to help keep me accountable for the dreams I have said I will follow, and to share the hardships, insecurities, and excitements of being an actor, an artist, a friend, a sister, and all the other hats I wear from time to time. I hope this brings solace to other actors starting out seeing how I began as a receptionist to working full-time as an actor a.k.a. the ultimate (picture a soccer announcer) GOOOAAAAALLLLL!! 


So am I living the dream of the actor? Yes because I am continuing my journey even if right now I sit on my rump all day answering phones. Ok, so maybe I don't have all the glam or money actors who "make it" have, or the kind of fulfillment success is claimed to give, but I am still flying high knowing that my dreams are possible.


I leave you with this quote that is currently my Facebook status and yes, I found it in a book about Search Engine Optimization (that is what SEO stands for for those who didn't know...don't worry, just learned that one too):


‎"Everything good in life requires sacrifice, patience, and hard work."- SEO Warrior 


So let's get it started!