3 sets of keys and India Arie

3 sets of keys jingle in my bag as I walk along 9th Avenue. One to unlock an apartment in Astoria, two for the Upper West Side. Blessed and grateful, I have a new spring in my step as my professional life starts shaping a shell around my forming personal life. Leaving the apartment in Harlem yesterday confirmed a new mindset. With traveler's pack weighing me down, I strolled past the Apollo Theatre. A woman sat on the corner stoop, taking the morning post of the neighborhood stairwell, which by evening would undoubtedly be full of gathered friends and relatives escaping their apartment heat. That morning, she smiled as I walked past. I greeted her, and she greeted back. Leaving Harlem at 125th, I took the A to the Upper West Side at 72nd. 50 blocks difference, I pop up to an entirely different World from where I had just left. My new home would be with new-found friends at 68th Street and Central Park West. The Doorman greeted me with knowledge of each person's room number in the building. - Apartment 3c" I had a cup of tea with my new roommate, with 2 bags of tea and a cherished jar of honey I had picked up in an ancient Lithuanian shop. Within an hour of trekking through the UWS with bags hanging on me like a packmule, I now confidently greeted the doorman on my way out, with breifcase slung over my shoulder. Heading to E. 4th in the East Village, I spent the next 7 hours with high school students at City at Peace, my internship for the last 2 months. Today I got the chance to present Invisible Children's GO documentary during this time, and there was rare silence in the room followed by many questions. Having developed a deep relationship with these 40 young adults, it was inspiring to see my world's collide. My final words punched more boldly than I usually do, "Whatever your cause, wherever you want to see change, go big. Be loud. See minds change".

After class, I took various subways, after initially going the wrong way. Arriving on 59th, I walked through a beautiful dusk along Central Park- the air is no longer sticky at night, just 80 degrees. Arriving back to the apartment, I got on the elevator. Inside, a man asked me if I lived here. I said no, that I was just visiting. He replied, "Good. I've lived here 8 years and have never seen you. I don't want to be a rude New Yorker and not know my neighbors. I'm glad you don't live here" I thought it an odd remark to end on as I walked off and opened up 3C.

My new roomie was inside, drinking a beer. He had just lost his bartending job hours before, being told over the phone on a random call he made to ask for this week's shift times. My roommate, an actor, described the conversation of that phone call... In classic New York attitude, the manager had fired him for "not being edgy enough, as the bar is trying to move in a more 'East Village" direction". (The bar, called, East of Eden, is located in Chelsea). I felt terrible, despite being heavily entertained by this well-crafted monologue. So, plans for a low-key evening were scrapped, and we went out to dinner to soften the blow of a direct New York mental beating. After dinner, we met up with his friends for one beer at 'Dive 75' where we were entertained by two larger than life actors who were celebrating a callback. Halfway through the bar, I got a call from one of the high school girls from City At Peace. She said that on her way back to Brooklyn after rehearsal, she just wanted to yell on the Subway that "People are dying in Africa" and tell everyone about what was going on. I could tell she was lonely. Her father was sending a cab to pick her up and meet him at his girlfriend's house. It was great to talk to her and we made a plan to meet about effective ways to help out northern Uganda at the next rehearsal.

Home by midnight, I went to bed to wake up and put on work clothes for my office job. Taking the A to the N, I arrived at Times Square, listening to India.Arie, who steers my ship these days. She battles the waves, hums her advice as I soak up rays starboard. Her comforting breath led me to the Church next to the Theatre, as I sat in silence for 5 minutes before arriving to my new post at the Roundabout Theatre Company by 10am. The beat goes on.