Small Snippets from the Life of Jenn

For as long as I can remember, I have gotten stuck on certain artists. I listen to their songs over and over and over again (usually around 100 times each), and then move on to the next thing. What I decide to arrange is usually reflective of what I am currently stuck on. Hence, this lovely number.

So, it’s possible I own over 500 bouncy balls...

While I was on tour with Once, we hit Manhattan Kansas. I found this delightful tunnel about five minutes away from our hotel, and spent a good couple of hours in there because of the acoustics.

I was a non-union actor when I moved to New York City. At times, that was quite frustrating, as it was hard getting seen at auditions. I wrote this simple song as a result of that, and I still find it rather funny. I actually used it in an audition once, but that's a story for another day... Anyway, the song starts at about 25 seconds in, if you decide you want to skip my explanation. 

Every now and then, I fail. Over the years, I've come to believe that failure actually has a postive impact on my life. It is how I personally learn, progress, and become better. This is one of my bigger failures in recent years, and I'm risking posting it here because I learned an even bigger lesson during this performance: Audiences are frequently made up of people who want you to succeed. The audience at this performance supported me, sang for me, laughed with me, and made me feel better about being human onstage. If you want to skip to about one minute in, that's where the song starts to truly unravel a bit.

And that is something I want to remember every time I perform.

Sometimes, late at night, I get a little creative... My neighbors probably hate me when it happens, but sometimes, I simply can't resist making a little music.

When I'm in NYC, I often temp until I book my next gig. One day, during lunch, one of my co-workers requested that I bring in my cello, and then took me to the top of the skyscraper we worked in. I then serenaded the NYC skyline on a floor that was being renovated.

While touring with Once, the Musical, I occasionally had some spare time on my hands. So, I wrote a song. This is the end of it, and I'm rather pleased with how it turned out.

I've been experimenting with different cello techniques lately, and I'm rather pleased with how this song is turning out. I've decided to call it True Love. It's not quite finished yet, but so far, I think this is my favorite section.