Daily Afri-mations: Animating Ethiopia (Pre-Departure)

Before Ethiopia I’m currently experiencing a bout of perfectionism, regret (at not being able to get everything I want done perfectly completed), overwhelm, mommy guilt, and exhilaration. Tomorrow, after my son’s fourth birthday party and after I put both...

4 Ways Comedy Improv Can Make Life Easier: Lessons Learned

I have funny friends. Not just funny peculiar, but also ha-ha funny. Yesterday my arguably funniest friend, Rome’s Comedy Club founder Marsha De Salvatore stopped by The American University of Rome where I work to give a Lunch and Learn Workshop for my Media,...

To Be or Not to Be an Artist. A Letter To My 17 Year-Old Self

This is a re-post of  something I wrote as a guest blogger for the website, Admitopia. They had asked me to advise teens who were considering going into the arts. In the end, I only felt comfortable advising myself. ___________________________________   Dear high...

Ignorance is Bliss

How lucky I am that no one ever talked me out of pursuing a career in the arts. This morning I was sitting in my favorite Roman coffee bar watching the usual suspects pop in with hearty “buongiornos” to the barista Alessandro, who knows everyone’s...