1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, It's Sophia. Welcome back to Work in Progress. 2 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: As we begin the new year, I just I can't 3 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: stay away and I want to lean into the new 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 1: on Work in Progress. For me personally, that means the 5 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: debut of my new show, Good Sam. The team behind 6 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: this show are truly some of the greatest human beings 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: I've ever had the pleasure of working with. There is 8 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: something magic about what's happening here, and I want to 9 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: let all of you in on it. For today's episode, 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: I'm going to be speaking with a new castmate who 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: is now an old friend from Good Sam. Sky p Marshall. 12 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: Sky has been on so many of my favorite shows. 13 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: You may recognize her from Black Lightning, Love Handles Eight 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: Days a Week, or the chilling and cheers of Sabrina 15 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: on Netflix. On Good Sam, she plays Dr Lex truly, 16 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: but in real life, Sky lived a lot of life 17 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: before she ever got on screen. She is a veteran 18 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 1: of the United States Air Force and has worn many 19 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: career hads since and took it upon herself to make 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: her dreams of performing come true. I'm so excited for 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: you all to get to know my TV bestie a 22 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: little better and we had such a good conversation that 23 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: we've actually decided to break this up into two episodes. 24 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: Let's get started. Well, Hi, hi, baby, welcome to the show. 25 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: I'm so happy to be here, so happy to have you. 26 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: It's funny. I feel like I don't even know where 27 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: to start, but I guess, Uh, in case anybody skipped 28 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,639 Speaker 1: the intro, you all are in for a treat today. 29 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: You were very lucky that my friend and my TV bestie, 30 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: sky P Marshall is joining us on Work in Progress today. 31 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: And I know because they've sent them to us that 32 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: the listeners have so many questions for us about good saying. 33 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: I know, but I I like to go back, because 34 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: everybody who's meeting you on the show is meeting you 35 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: as the Sky of Today and as someone they likely 36 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: know from Sabrina and from your other work. But I 37 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: always like to see how people got started, So let's 38 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: go back to the beginning. You were born in Chicago. 39 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: That's actually how we first bonded. Do do you consider 40 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: yourself like a Chicago in at heart? Oh? You know, 41 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: that's that's Uh. That's always been a complicated question because yes, 42 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: I was born in Chicago. Then I relocated to what 43 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: we like to call the d M v DC Maryland 44 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: and Virginia until I was twelve. So I have this 45 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: small town country girl in me. And then in my 46 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: preteen I head back to Chicago and they taught me 47 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: real quick how to grow up. So you know, I 48 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: do have that small town heart, but I am quite 49 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: street wise because of Chicago, for sure. So yeah, both 50 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: sides of that coin have created quite the epic adventure 51 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: of just getting through life at such a young age, 52 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:40,119 Speaker 1: that kind of dichotomy of big, fast paced town, well, 53 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: big fast paced city and small town like quiet. Yeah. 54 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: I experienced that as a kid, and I think it 55 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: serves all of us well now because we have to 56 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: move around and make anywhere home. And when you've made 57 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: a home in places that are so different, I think 58 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: you can see anywhere as a potential home. Yeah. Absolutely. 59 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: And I feel like big cities they just they they 60 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: come with so many rules. Small town I felt limitless. 61 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: I had real estate. I have forts in the forest. 62 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: I would take stuff out of my mother's house and 63 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: I would take it into the woods and I would 64 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: build these forts all over the place. Me and my sister, 65 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: we would stay out late. No one like there wasn't 66 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: so many rules. And then I got into Chicago and 67 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: it was just like, don't walk down that street, don't 68 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: get on that bus, don't stay out after the you know, 69 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: the sun drops, or don't hang out with those people 70 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: that you know, make sure you don't turn your hat 71 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: to the left, make sure you don't wear red, make 72 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,799 Speaker 1: sure and and it was so overwhelming for me that 73 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: it started to kind of dim my light that that 74 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: small town gave me that freedom to feel like I 75 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: felt like I had an imaginary friend. And I mean 76 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: it also could be that I was, you know, younger, 77 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: but it just felt more or freedom in the small town, 78 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: if you will. Well, And to go back to Chicago 79 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: as a preteen and to experience some of what you're 80 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: talking about, like the danger that you've never heard before, 81 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: of wearing a gang color on the wrong block, of 82 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: putting your hat on in a way that might suggest 83 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: you had a loyalty to one group and not another. Absolutely, Yeah, 84 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: I had to learn how to do what's called a 85 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: neutral handshake. So in case someone does, you know, walk 86 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 1: up or what we would call run up on you 87 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: and they go for a handshake, you know how to 88 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: immediately do what's called a neutral handshake that you are 89 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: not a left or right gang, You're not affiliated. I'm 90 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: not affiliated at all. I'm neutral. What I mean, what 91 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: is that experience like as a young kid, because that 92 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: sounds if you think about it as a story, it 93 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: sounds like a rude awakening for the lead character and 94 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: the story of your life. Like no, absolutely, and it's Chicago. 95 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: You know that being born in Chicago's one thing. But 96 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: having a return to Chicago at twelve after experiencing a 97 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: very traumatizing event where we lost everything. I went from 98 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: riches to rags. So having to now go to Chicago 99 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: at twelve and ballet turned to hip hop, girl scouts 100 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: turn to gangs. Um, it was like everything that I 101 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: knew was completely flipped on its back, and it was 102 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: very traumatizing and very overwhelming. I remember it separating me 103 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 1: and my sister, you know, because my sister, she and 104 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 1: I are year and a half apart. And she went 105 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: I went down the art road. I went to dancing, 106 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: she went to the streets, and we never even today 107 00:06:54,920 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: have reconnected since. So that experience of haveing to fit 108 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: in and having to adapt and having to figure out 109 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 1: what does it mean? To be black because being in 110 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: a small town of Virginia, it was a predominantly white neighborhood. 111 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: But they never treated us like we were the only 112 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: black family because my dad was a doctor, you know, 113 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: so they just saw that we were all running in 114 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: the same country club circle. When I got to Chicago 115 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: and I was now in a neighborhood that was predominantly 116 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: actually was pretty much black people, it was the uptown 117 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: of Chicago. That's where I first learned that, like, I 118 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: was dart skin. That's where I yeah, honey, I didn't. 119 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: I was like, wait, what was darts gonna light skin? 120 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: That gave me a whole complex. That's where I learned, 121 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: um that my hair wasn't good good hair, Like it 122 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: was just this whole cultural segregation that was happening within 123 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: the community that I was just like, it was a 124 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: rude awakening, and rather than being you know, punched down 125 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: by it, I rose to the occasion and I had 126 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: to learn how to really love myself with the help 127 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 1: of my mother. H did you feel like you could 128 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: talk to her about what you were learning and experiencing 129 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: and like the ways you were feeling like you were 130 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: being made to doubt yourself or did you have that 131 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: teenage thing of like I'm good and she saw that 132 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: you weren't. Oh, no, I was. I was. I was 133 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: and still am a proper mama's girl. Like that's my 134 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: ace of Spade and my biggest cheerleader in life. And 135 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: because she grew up in Chicago, she anticipated everything that 136 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: I was about to experience. So while she would have 137 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: conversations with me about it and try and prepare me 138 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: for certain things, it wasn't until I had that real 139 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: world experience. So you know, she would always ask questions. 140 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: And because she grew up in that area and my 141 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 1: older siblings grew up in that area, they had ears 142 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: in the streets, so they knew the vice principle of 143 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 1: my eighth grade school, like they always knew what was 144 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: going on and asking questions. So my mom was my 145 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: protector for sure, but she also through me in the gauntlet, 146 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: Like she was like letting me take the subway and 147 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: like letting me go to the South side of Chicago 148 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: by myself, and like she she allowed me to face 149 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: my fears in Chicago in a big city that was 150 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: so unknown, And I think that was I don't think 151 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,599 Speaker 1: I know that that was the beginning of me creating 152 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: a relationship with fear. What do you mean by that? Um? 153 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: So me and fear, like we've been together for a while, 154 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: things are getting serious. Um. But yeah, it was the 155 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: beginning of me creating a relationship with your I think 156 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: when I hear people say again, I'm trying to stop 157 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: this word think, I don't think. I know. I know 158 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: that for me, when I hear people say sky, it 159 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: seems like you're so fearless or like I'm fearless, and 160 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: it's like none of us are fearless. We're born with fear. 161 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 1: You know. Infants scream and cry because they're so hungry, 162 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 1: this hungry pain, but you feed it. It's like, oh 163 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: my god, Okay, all right, I'm I'm safe, I'm okay. 164 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: You have to tell a toddler that there's no boogeyman 165 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: in the closet, right, Like, we are always having to 166 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: have a life experience with fear. And my first real 167 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: encounter of day to day anxiety in in the trepidation 168 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: that came with walking around the streets of Chicago. That 169 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: was a relationship that would paralyze me at times. And 170 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: my mom was there someone who had had experience to 171 00:10:55,920 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: help me through it by making me face it. That 172 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: then was advanced when I left Chicago at seventeen eighteen 173 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 1: to then go into the military. That then trained me 174 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: in a very sophisticated way on how to now use 175 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: that fear. So the first thing was a revelation of 176 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: the fear and then embracing it, and then the military 177 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: taught me how to use it to my advantage. So 178 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: I have a healthy relationship with fear. Mhm. If I'm 179 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: scared of something, I have to do it. Like if 180 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: I'm scared to say something, I'm like, damn it, now 181 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: I gotta say it or do something. I'm like, ah, 182 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: now I have to do it because I'll think about 183 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: it NonStop. But something that amazes me about you, that 184 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 1: I observe in you as your friend is when you 185 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: say that and you know this about me. If I'm 186 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: anxious about something, I'm like, I lose all my words, 187 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: I have no idea how to talk. I'm suddenly like, 188 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: if I say this thing, then everyone's gonna have their 189 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: feelings her, I'm gonna it wrong or God. And you 190 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: somehow have become a human who when you are afraid 191 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: of something and you're like, I gotta say it. You 192 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: don't say it with the fear behind it. You say 193 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: it with like a supreme amount of positivity. You you 194 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: somehow pushed through to an observer anyway, you push through 195 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: the thing that makes you fearful with joy, And that 196 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: to me is like wizard ship. Like you, guys, I'm 197 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: telling you my friend is magic. The first day that 198 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: we worked together, I told her she was sparkly. I'm 199 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: very serious. This woman is covered in glitter. Like, how 200 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: do you think you learned that? Because that that's a 201 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: perspective you have. I don't know a lot of people 202 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: who have it, who have that kind of ability. I 203 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: think for me it's nobody's like. My emotional reaction or 204 00:12:55,480 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 1: my emotional response is no other human beings responsive ability. 205 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: That is my responsibility. I don't care what anybody does. 206 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: My emotional response to anything. That's all on me. So 207 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: if I do believe that everything is happening for me, 208 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: it's not happening to me. If it's happening for me, 209 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: I have to look at it like I don't like 210 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,559 Speaker 1: this feeling. I don't like, you know, the thoughts that 211 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: are going onto my head. All right, So how is 212 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: this supposed to serve me? What am I supposed to 213 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: learn here? And sometimes I can take thirty seconds before 214 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: I open my mouth and respond to somebody. Sometimes I 215 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: can take weeks. It really, it honestly really just depends. 216 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: It's very ala carte when it comes to how I 217 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: respond to fear, because sometimes when you see me, I 218 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: might be in my joy and bliss and sending my 219 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: way through the experience. But then I'll go home and 220 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: throw accent to my walls, you know what I mean, 221 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: Like I have my ways of processing that that emotion. 222 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: I just don't reject any of the feelings that I 223 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: have as a human on the entire spectrum. They've all 224 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,439 Speaker 1: served me. Even when I hear people talk about ego, 225 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,559 Speaker 1: like ego this or ego that. Yeah, but ego can 226 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: come in hand as well, fear this fear that fear 227 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: can come in hand, sadness can come in hand. You know, 228 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: all of our emotions are there to serve us, but 229 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: we have to be able to just take a moment 230 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: and figure out what is the lesson here? And that 231 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: has taken time and I learned that again. I give 232 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: that credit to the Air Force as well. That's where 233 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: that began. So how how does that timeline go? You 234 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: go back to Chicago as a preteen, so you go 235 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: back to Chicago twelve, Uh, finish up high school and 236 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: then in order to go to college, I had to 237 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: get Uncle Sam to be my sugar daddy, my all 238 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: my books. Um, but yeah, I went to military because 239 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: I wanted to go to college, like that was very 240 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: important to me. So how does that process begin? Like 241 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: when you when you're sitting there saying, Okay, the military 242 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: is going to be my opportunity for higher education. Where 243 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: do you go? Who do you go to see? Are 244 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: you getting recruited or do you have to go and volunteer? 245 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: Like what's what's the process for you at eighteen to 246 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: do that? So the process for me was when I 247 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: was in high school. I went to Lincoln Park High 248 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: School and a lot of girls in my high school 249 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: we're getting pregnant, dropping out, And then there were the 250 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: other girls, of course that we're excelling and getting like 251 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: incredible grades. I was one of those, but I was 252 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: surrounded by a lot of girls that we're having babies, 253 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: and it scared me and I decided I need out. 254 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: So I applied to a bunch of different universities, and 255 00:15:55,920 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: I got into an HBCU called Hampton University in Virginia. 256 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: I went to Hampton now as HBCU, historically black university. 257 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: I didn't know that I was no longer the minority, 258 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: so that financial aid was not going to be available 259 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: to me, which was so brilliant for the white students 260 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: that were there because now they were able to get 261 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: the financial aid because they were the minority of the university. 262 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh my god, this is genius. 263 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: And I didn't even I didn't even think about that, right, 264 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: So I call my white friends like, y'all need to 265 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: go to HBC When I was kidding a girl, you 266 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: get to be a minority, So uh yeah, that freshman 267 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: year was a penny, you know. And one thing I 268 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: remember hearing from my father with med school and my 269 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: and my mom when she went to school for to 270 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: be a teacher was student debt. Money was a big, 271 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: big fight in arguments and in just a dark cloud, 272 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: and a lot of it was good old Sally May. 273 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 1: So I grew up thinking Sally May was a real 274 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 1: woman and she I know exactly what she looks like 275 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,199 Speaker 1: in my head, and I thought that she was a 276 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: woman that kept calling my dad asking for money. Wait wait, 277 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: wait wait what is what does Sky's Sally May look like? 278 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: I need to know? So Sally maybe she has this 279 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: um she's a white lady naturally and not just kidding, 280 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 1: but no, she is this tan white woman who um 281 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 1: has like this gray, beautiful thick hair with a nice 282 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: little Southern curl to it and the sweetest face like 283 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: the big rosy cheeks. The nicest woman. She gave you 284 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: that money, so you can go get that to Gred. 285 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: She's just following through on the deal. She sounds like 286 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 1: a character on designing women like her Delta birth. We're 287 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: probably best exactly what it is. Yeah, the sweetest woman, 288 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: great energy, but she needs her money back. But Sally 289 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: needs that needs that check back that that you you know, Um, 290 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: I just did want to have a relationship with Sally May. 291 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,919 Speaker 1: I didn't. So that's where the idea of going to 292 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: the military came. And now this idea came in after 293 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: I just like one prom quein in high school. So 294 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: I didn't tell anyone because they would think it was absurd, Like, wait, 295 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: what the Milton, you don't that's not what, that's not 296 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: what we did. We don't. We don't do that, So 297 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: I didn't tell anyone. So I walked into a recruiting 298 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: office for the Navy because that's when initially I was 299 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: going to go into the Navy. But then I found 300 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: out that you gotta get your hair wet, and I 301 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: was kidding then I was gonna with my hair and 302 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 1: I was like, um no. But I went in and 303 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: did what's called the ASVAP tests, and that is like 304 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 1: the S A T A C T for the military, 305 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: so they can determine on your scores, your score chart, 306 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 1: which branch will you qualify for Army and uh, the Navy, 307 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: I believe are equals somewhere around the Marines is somewhere 308 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: in the thirties. Don't quote me on this please, but 309 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: to get into the Air Force that was like eighty 310 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: percent or higher. Yeah, very challenging. So I get back 311 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: to the recruiting office and the Navy recruiter says, you pass. 312 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: You're in. Now we're gonna go and do your physical 313 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: exam and done. You'll be in on the same day. No, 314 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: it's like the test is one day. Were called recruiting 315 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: thing is one day and then you go back to 316 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: a place called maps and you do your as MAAP 317 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: test and then when you get the scores in, now 318 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: you've got to go and do like a whole physical examination, 319 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: which is like, it's intense. It's like what you see 320 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: in the movies of like a cattle line of human 321 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: beings testing their vision and your physical abilities and just 322 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 1: the whole shebang. Right, So I go and I do that, 323 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: and then I'm done with my physical and now at 324 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,439 Speaker 1: the end of the physical hours later, you have to 325 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: now get in line to go into a room to 326 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: swear in into the military. Right once you swear in 327 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: and you dropped that salute, they own you for the 328 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: next however long your contract is. My was four years. 329 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: So I was standing in line in the Navy line, 330 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: but I'm looking across the hall at the Air Force line, 331 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 1: and they looked cool. They were like the cheerleader and 332 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: football players in the cafeteria. I don't know what it was, 333 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 1: but I was just like, man, they look way more fun. 334 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: It was the most ridiculous choice to to shift my 335 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: entire perspective in that moment, but it did. I was seventeen, 336 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: you know, and so I left and I didn't swear in, 337 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: and I went back to the recruiting office and I 338 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: asked him what was my as VAB score because he 339 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: never told me. And when he told me my as 340 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: VAB score, and he looked like he didn't want me 341 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: to know, and he was like, you got a eighty three. 342 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: And I was like, And I ran across the hall 343 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: into the Air Force recruiting office and I was just like, 344 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: let's go swear in today. And I did and and 345 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: and that's how I ended up in the military. And 346 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,159 Speaker 1: I have zero student debt. And I've ever met Sally May. 347 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 1: I'll never know what she looks like. Okay, so then 348 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: how how does the process go? You swear in? But 349 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: then do you stay at your university or do you 350 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: go to a military college or like what's the what's 351 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: the time? So I never went back to Hampton because 352 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: I couldn't afford it. So because I couldn't go back 353 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: to Hampton, my only option was Chicago. So I'm like, 354 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: I'm going into the military. And I didn't tell my 355 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: mom until after I scored high on the as BAP tests. 356 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: She didn't even know that I was going to take 357 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: the actual test because I just wanted to see how 358 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: far could I take this before actually committing. I'm not 359 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: good at enrolling other people in my decision making because 360 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:56,639 Speaker 1: it's not their life. Now. I love to consult people 361 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: that I love and trust or that I just respect 362 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 1: because of you know who they may be in the world. 363 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: Um just so I can learn. I love to learn 364 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: from people. But when it comes to those high octane 365 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: moments where it's like, is that the blue peel of 366 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 1: the red peel, I really had to lean on me 367 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: and spirit and universe, guy, everything you want to believe in. 368 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: Um So when I then went and swore in that 369 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: next day, I was on a bus to the airport 370 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:29,120 Speaker 1: and I was gone. Yeah, I was gone, and showed 371 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: up to boot camp in uh San Antonio, Texas. And 372 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: it was so funny because well it wasn't that funny 373 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: because it was August, so it was bleeding hot in 374 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: San Antonio, Texas. But it was funny because I get 375 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,239 Speaker 1: to I I arrived to boot camp and we're all 376 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: being like rushed off the bus and our t I 377 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: are training instructors like showing up and like already giving 378 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: us the energy that we all know that we in television, right, 379 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,120 Speaker 1: And He's like, is there anybody here that knows how 380 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: to play an instrument. And I'm sitting up here like what, 381 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: so raised my hand and he's like, what do you play? 382 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,360 Speaker 1: I was like, um, symbols because in my head that's 383 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: just the easiest that I can like improvise with. I 384 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: was like, symbols. I'm really I could play symbols. And 385 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: then and then he was like okay, great, go over there. 386 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: So then we're all being whisked over to this other 387 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: area of boot camp and then we end up inside 388 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: of a band room. Stop. This is too much a 389 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: lot of people know about this, so I just I 390 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: was like, oh my god, where's we're indoors, there's air conditioning. Wait, okay, 391 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: what's happening. So then they're just like, all right, you 392 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:38,159 Speaker 1: guys are the band, the band of boot Camp. I 393 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: did not see this in the pamphlet um And they're like, 394 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 1: you guys in the band. Every Friday, a new group 395 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: of of of Airmen are going to be graduating boot Camp, 396 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: and you're the band is going to play at their 397 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: graduation every Friday. And I was like, oh, this is 398 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: lovely because in my head all I knew was that 399 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: means we're gonna have to rehearse, and that's gonna indoors 400 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: and air conditioning, and I'm not going to be outside. 401 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 1: And yeah, and then there was a band member from 402 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: the band at Hampton University, because I danced with the 403 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: band at Hampton University that was in that flight, And 404 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: I couldn't believe it because he was my assigned big 405 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: brother at Hampton University. So when we saw each other, 406 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,239 Speaker 1: we just burst into tears because neither one of us 407 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: told each other that we were going to the military. 408 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: So for he and I both end up in a 409 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: band flight in boot camp right after Hampton University's band experience. 410 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just you. You already know you know me, 411 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: We have so many conversations. The synchronicities that happened in 412 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,959 Speaker 1: my life are just incredibly mind blowing and so inspiring 413 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: for me to just keep going. You know, did having 414 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 1: a friend there make you feel like you were going 415 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: to be okay at the start of something that I 416 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: imagine is pretty scary. Yeah, absolutely, because, um, you know, 417 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: you're not allowed cell phones anything, You're not allowed any 418 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 1: connection to the outside world because their job is to 419 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,680 Speaker 1: break you down as a civilian and rebuild you as 420 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: a soldier, so they can't have any outside influence interfering 421 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: with that process. But my flight of women, and I 422 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 1: was the flight leader of my flight of forty, was 423 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 1: in a barrack right next to the mail flight and 424 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: there's a door that separates us. So we called that 425 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: door the telephone. So anytime somebody would knock on the door, 426 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: anybody around the door would be like who is it? 427 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: And they'll be like it's John and look sky there 428 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 1: and like skytt come to the phone and it's the door, right, 429 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: and then you just come to the door and sit 430 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,119 Speaker 1: on the door and just like talk under the door 431 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 1: through the door to whoever is there. So like we 432 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: were able to just converse through the door and that 433 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 1: was really nice. Um. And then there was a girl 434 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: who didn't graduate from boot camp because of medical reasons. 435 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: But they'll still keep you there and make you work, 436 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: but you're not held to all the rules and relations. 437 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: So I got her to sneak in some snacks um 438 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: and a cell phone once. So you know, I played 439 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: my I played my part well, I got what I needed. 440 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 1: So but yeah, no, it was challenging but very rewarding. 441 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: But as a flight leader, if anybody messed up and 442 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: had to say do push ups or run laps or whatever, 443 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: I had to do it with them. So that was 444 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: the beginning of having an accountability partner, which if I 445 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: did not have that, even up until today, I wouldn't. 446 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:33,400 Speaker 1: I definitely would not have accomplished what I have accomplished 447 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 1: thus far. What do you think it is about accountability? 448 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: The thing about accountability for me is that we can 449 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 1: have a dream, we can have a goal, we have 450 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: a vision, you can have motivation and inspiration. That's that's 451 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 1: that's great. But what I have learned that gets real 452 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 1: results is habits. That's what gets real results. Is what 453 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,959 Speaker 1: are you doing even when you don't want to do it? 454 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: You know, Um, A lot of people would would ask, 455 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: because I do I still do this today as soon 456 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: as I can put my feet on the floor and 457 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: make my bed. And I've been doing that ever since, 458 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:09,719 Speaker 1: you know, the training that I had in the service, 459 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: And people would say, like, what is there with the 460 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: military in the in the bed, in the bed, in 461 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: the bed, and I'm like, it's not about the bed. 462 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,360 Speaker 1: It's about creating discipline. It's about when you wake up 463 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,720 Speaker 1: in the morning, you start the day with something that 464 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: you don't probably want to do, and it will start 465 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: to roll out throughout the day. So discipline for me 466 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: in habit is very important. And for me to stay habitual, 467 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 1: I needed those accountability partners, you know, um which later 468 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: in life I changed the name to destiny advocates, so 469 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: I have a few of those. You're one of them. 470 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 1: You became one of them, for sure. But I can 471 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,880 Speaker 1: tell I can spot a destiny advocate where I'm like, oh, 472 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 1: this person is supposed to be in my life on purpose, 473 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 1: Like there's there's purpose in the relationship, and the version 474 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: of me that shows up is just a little bit, 475 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: just a little bit different than what the day to 476 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 1: day you know, associate or family member may receive. Why 477 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: do you think that is? Like when we're around the 478 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: people who make us want to be our best selves, 479 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: why do you think we know? That's a really good question, 480 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 1: Sophia Bush. So knowing I don't. I wish I could. 481 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 1: I wish I could figure the formula out, But it's 482 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: a knowing. It usually lines up with certain events that 483 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 1: take place, a synchronicity that happens. You see the person 484 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: once and then you run into them again, and then 485 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: a third. Oh no, okay, now come here, let's talk. 486 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,719 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to be someone in your life. You're supposed 487 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: to be someone in my life. Or we're just supposed 488 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: to drop some gems on this table right now and 489 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: walk away. Either way, there is something that I am 490 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: in to give and or receive in this moment. And 491 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: if that keeps happening over and over, now you're a 492 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: destiny advocate. Now you're you're You're there, You're stuck. You're 493 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: with me for life? How I know it's just synchronicity 494 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: start to happen. That's my first queue. Or I'll think 495 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: about the person and they'll text or they'll call it. 496 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: Energetically the world just my world shifts to reveal to me, 497 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: pay attention to this relationship or this moment. And I'm 498 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,719 Speaker 1: very obedient to that feeling and I lean into it 499 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: and I don't care heavily on their response to it, 500 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: meaning that if I if I'm the one calling you 501 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: but you're not calling me, I'm not going to trip 502 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: about that. I'm really not how you feel about me 503 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: and none of my business, you know what I mean? Like, 504 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: I'll just I'll still support, I'll still you know, now 505 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: some rejects the invitation, then of course I fall back. 506 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: But um, not everybody has that same reaction or response 507 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: to you. You know, sometimes it's up to us to 508 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: just listen. Yeah, I think it can also be so 509 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 1: important to remember that we're not all always in the 510 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: same stages with the people we connect with very important. 511 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: So like, let's say you and I are in a 512 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: stage where we have time, glorious, we probably can put 513 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: in and and output about the same amount of energy. 514 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: But sometimes, you know, one of us will be in 515 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 1: a position where we have time, and we'll meet someone 516 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 1: who's supposed to be in our lives who has very 517 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:46,239 Speaker 1: little and so then we can give time where they 518 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: might not be able to give as much in return, 519 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: but us continuing to show up and give it means 520 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: more to that person who doesn't have a lot of 521 00:30:55,760 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: time than just about anything. And like learning that has 522 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: been such a lesson for me in terms of trusting 523 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: how I feel and also trusting that I'm loved. When 524 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 1: I'm the one who doesn't have much time and other 525 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: people show up, it's like it like brings me to 526 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: my knees. It touches me so deeply, and I think 527 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: I think choosing to trust your instincts and to and 528 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: to name what's happening can help you kind of lean 529 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 1: into those behaviors. Because you speak of that may not 530 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 1: have a lot of time, Please believe they too have 531 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: their destiny. Advocates that they will make time and that 532 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: they are on the the see me, end, feel me, 533 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: hear me, or let's have this, and I feel I don't. 534 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 1: I don't think anyone is short of that, even the 535 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: way that Oprah speaks of sitting fortier, like everyone has 536 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: that person. Yeah, you know, um, Alicia Keys Over a 537 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,719 Speaker 1: decade ago said something that's stuck with me forever at 538 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 1: an award show, and she said, you can't go through 539 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: life with with you know, two catchers mits on. You 540 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: have to be able to give and receive. You know, 541 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: you can just be there to receive, receive receive. Right. 542 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: So while I, for instance, I am soaking up as 543 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,480 Speaker 1: much as I can, watching you and learning from you 544 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: and studying from you, I then go and like open 545 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: the door for like like one of our like our 546 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 1: extra Kayla, you know who I've been mentoring and I've 547 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: had her over to help me with a self tape. 548 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: You know what I mean like she She's like, Okay, 549 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 1: here we go. Like anytime I feel rewarded to have 550 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: somebody that I can learn and watch and and feel 551 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: supported by in my journey, I then have to go 552 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: and look back. I have to look back to see 553 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: is there anyone needing my time that may think I'm 554 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 1: too busy? M hmmm. And that's just kind of I 555 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: don't know. That's been the cycle that's worked for me. 556 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: I love that, and it's interesting to be able to 557 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: trace it to those kinds of behaviors. People say, what's 558 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: with the bed, and you're like, it's not about the bed. 559 00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: About discipline. It's always a principle under the action. So 560 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 1: how long did the Air Force last? Like? What all 561 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,720 Speaker 1: in was your time? Where were you? What's it like 562 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: to be in the Air Force and be going to school? 563 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 1: Like how does that that is that chunk of skies 564 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 1: timeline play out? Huh So going to school while in 565 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: the military was extremely challenging because when I enrolled, I enrolled, 566 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: it was enrolled. I've been hanging out with way too 567 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: many life coaches. When I enlisted, um in the military, 568 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 1: it was peacetime. Everybody was going into the military, so 569 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 1: they can get college paid for. And then that was 570 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: two thousand, two thousand and one. It got real real quick, 571 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: and I was like, um, excuse me, Um, I wasn't 572 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 1: really trying to like serve my country, like not like that. 573 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 1: Can we talk? You're like, could I have a desk job? 574 00:34:27,640 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: And we could help out right, because it's it was 575 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 1: moving really fast because Bush was the president and there 576 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 1: was no social media and uh, we all had like 577 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: cell phones. They were nice and flippy and fun, but 578 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: we weren't pulling up the news on our phone, you know. 579 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 1: So I was, I mean, I'm gonna share this with 580 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 1: a lot of people. But when I was in the 581 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: military at the time when not eleven happened, I was 582 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: and what was called motivational camp, and I was like, 583 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: what is this? What is this? And it was like 584 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: doing boot camp all over again, even having a canteen 585 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 1: on my hip, Like it was just like what is this? 586 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 1: And it was while I was in motivational camp that 587 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: I was watching the television when nine eleven happened, and 588 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: that timing just was a little that's always been a 589 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 1: bit odd to me. Whatever. But then we were all 590 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:31,160 Speaker 1: um asked to come to the base and we were 591 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: like restrained to the base. We had what was called 592 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 1: a commander's call, where the commander of the base came 593 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: and pretty much told us to just go to our 594 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:40,759 Speaker 1: dorms and just sit still, sit tight. And that's what 595 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 1: we did. And we like didn't really have we didn't 596 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: have any resources to like pull information from anywhere. So 597 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: we're just sitting here, like what's gonna happen. Clearly we 598 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 1: know the Army and Marines are heading first, right, so 599 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: we're not stressed. We're air Force. If they need us, 600 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,720 Speaker 1: the pilots will go, and then the medics in the PGE. 601 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,839 Speaker 1: You know. So I worked in the hospital. Um, I 602 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 1: wasn't stressed at that time because I didn't have enough 603 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:06,439 Speaker 1: information and we didn't get to see it. Like, say, 604 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 1: if if that happened today, oh my goodness, with a 605 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: number of social media platforms available, the military would have 606 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:17,319 Speaker 1: been in shambles because people would have been sharing and 607 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:20,400 Speaker 1: posting like the things that were being said and happening. 608 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 1: I'm not even gonna get into that anyway. That's a 609 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: whole other podcast. But um, that's when it got real. 610 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:31,719 Speaker 1: That's when it got very real, and our base slowly 611 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:37,840 Speaker 1: started to become a bit chaotic because other military bases 612 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 1: were underman because Marines and Army were being deployed constantly, 613 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:49,319 Speaker 1: and in order to maintain a base, you have to 614 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 1: have people covering all of the positions at home, right, 615 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: It's not just about let's sending everybody overseas. So, um, 616 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,279 Speaker 1: they pulled me out of the hospital and ate me 617 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:05,400 Speaker 1: a cop. Yeah, so I was a military police officer. 618 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: So I got out of the military, thank god, and um, 619 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: to my surprise, I remember I was like, I should 620 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: do acting, and I thought that that was the most 621 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:23,920 Speaker 1: ridiculous idea of all time, and immediately went straight to 622 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,400 Speaker 1: college because I was like, I did not just go 623 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:28,640 Speaker 1: to the military to then go do a job that 624 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: a high school dropout can do. I'm going to college. 625 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:34,920 Speaker 1: So I had that idea for about a week and 626 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 1: then it was gone. And then I went to school, 627 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 1: and I went to college. I got my bachelor's degree 628 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 1: in communication minor and media, and uh, then I got 629 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:47,400 Speaker 1: my corporate job that I've always wanted and went to 630 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:50,320 Speaker 1: Manhattan because I wanted my Carrie brash Shaw sex in 631 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:53,320 Speaker 1: the city life and except I was gonna be Miranda 632 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: and I wanted my corporate job, and that was the plan. 633 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,839 Speaker 1: Two years in the corporate I realized the cubicle was 634 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 1: my idea of who. But I had worked so hard 635 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 1: for that cubicle and what was the job? I worked 636 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: at a pharmaceutical marketing firm called b g B New York, 637 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: which I had a good laugh because one of the 638 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:25,760 Speaker 1: drugs that I worked on that I had an account 639 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:29,920 Speaker 1: with with Bristol Model Squibb in Santa Fe Adventus was 640 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:35,320 Speaker 1: Plavix for a proof arterial disease p a D, which 641 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 1: is in our upcoming script. You're like, there is I 642 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:47,239 Speaker 1: know this one? So um So that's the the alignment 643 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: of all these like life imitating art moments that I've 644 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,319 Speaker 1: been having. It just constantly just affirms to me that 645 00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:58,680 Speaker 1: I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, and that even 646 00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:06,480 Speaker 1: deciding to pursue acting at and knowing that I was 647 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 1: the underdog, meaning I was about to be thirty with 648 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:16,239 Speaker 1: no experience, black female like it just there were very 649 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:22,040 Speaker 1: limited opportunities, as everyone told me, and uh, to now 650 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 1: see how that life, that adult experience that I had 651 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: from the military to corporate New York to growing up 652 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:34,320 Speaker 1: in Chicago, how I kid, you not. I would say, 653 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: of the roles that I have done in the industry, 654 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 1: have mirrored, mirrored a lot of those experiences, even down 655 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 1: to the tiniest detail, like peripheral arterial disease. I mean, 656 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:54,839 Speaker 1: all those little things. It's weird when you realize there's 657 00:39:54,880 --> 00:40:00,200 Speaker 1: something special going on. It's so weird, like the most 658 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:03,400 Speaker 1: delicious ways. And it like with our show premiering, people 659 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 1: were asking me, you know, did you ever want to 660 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 1: do anything other than acting? And I was like, you, guys, 661 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:11,479 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a heart surgeon. Like I'm I'm 662 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:14,719 Speaker 1: out promoting our show talking about Mr Hallman, who was 663 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 1: my ninth grade biology teacher who used to stay through 664 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:20,880 Speaker 1: the end of class through lunch with me in the 665 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:24,360 Speaker 1: classroom so I could do the next advanced level of 666 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:26,200 Speaker 1: the dissections we were doing. Because I was like, I 667 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 1: really need to learn this. I'm going to be a surgeon. 668 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:36,160 Speaker 1: What what? What? Like? What is happening? And I don't know, 669 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:40,000 Speaker 1: it's just such it's such a trip to me, all 670 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: the little things. And one of the things I want 671 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:44,600 Speaker 1: you to tell people about because you're telling me the 672 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 1: stories I don't know about the military. But one of 673 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:49,680 Speaker 1: the stories I do know about the military is something 674 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:52,600 Speaker 1: the audience needs to know because it's a synchronicity before 675 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 1: we move on to like changing the career into acting. 676 00:40:56,440 --> 00:41:00,759 Speaker 1: You working in the hospital in the military, like you 677 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,279 Speaker 1: don't tell people about it because it's crazy that now 678 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 1: you're on the hospital show. No. I got and and 679 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: my supervisor, um, Sergeant Jimenez, he messaged me. It was 680 00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 1: just like are you kidding me? Like when the episode aired, 681 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:19,399 Speaker 1: so many people from the military like reached out, so like, yeah, 682 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 1: I know that way, and I love that. I'm like 683 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:24,160 Speaker 1: sitting back like waiting to see like because you know, 684 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: we're all spread out all over the world. I don't 685 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 1: know where they all are, um, so to know that 686 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:31,879 Speaker 1: they can find me on social media after I pop 687 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:34,399 Speaker 1: up on their screen. Back in the hospital, it's it's 688 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:36,879 Speaker 1: not it's pretty wild, but yeah, I was all over 689 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:40,720 Speaker 1: that hospital. I started in medical records, which felt hazing. 690 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:45,640 Speaker 1: It's like starting in the mail room exactly like it was. 691 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:51,520 Speaker 1: It was terrible, um, but again, it really definitely helped 692 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 1: with just like crossing your eyes and dotting your tease 693 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:59,880 Speaker 1: and like filing is just so like, oh my gosh. Anyway, 694 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:03,560 Speaker 1: it's yeah, it's it's intense anyway. Um, until I had 695 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,160 Speaker 1: like friends of mine messaging me like, so I'm started 696 00:42:06,239 --> 00:42:08,600 Speaker 1: dating David, can you open up his medical record just 697 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:12,000 Speaker 1: to make sure. I'm like a girl. No, people is listening, 698 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:17,960 Speaker 1: leave me alone. Um. But yeah, So I went to 699 00:42:18,360 --> 00:42:21,520 Speaker 1: family practice, and then I had a lieutenant who was 700 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:24,640 Speaker 1: running pediatrics who wanted me to come buy pediatrics and 701 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:27,759 Speaker 1: I ran out of there immediately. And then I would 702 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:31,080 Speaker 1: volunteer at the er when they would need help. So 703 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:33,200 Speaker 1: I kind of bounced around there, went up to labor 704 00:42:33,239 --> 00:42:35,799 Speaker 1: and delivery sometimes when I felt sad because that's where 705 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,439 Speaker 1: the babies were. Um. And then a lot of people 706 00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:42,640 Speaker 1: don't know that, like in the hospitals at least in 707 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:44,520 Speaker 1: the Air Force. I can't speak for the other branches, 708 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:48,760 Speaker 1: but you have plastic surgeons there obviously there for war wounds, 709 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:54,279 Speaker 1: but there who are like dependents of of active members 710 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:57,440 Speaker 1: like their wives or daughters or whatever, and active duty 711 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:00,000 Speaker 1: men and women that would go and get free plastic 712 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:03,400 Speaker 1: surgery while they're in the military. So I thought that 713 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:06,120 Speaker 1: was pretty wild. Wait, so is that just like in 714 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: downtime if the plastics it's downtown, the plastic surgeons need 715 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:13,520 Speaker 1: work they need, so they got theirs. They have to 716 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:15,600 Speaker 1: do that. So like they provided it for free, and 717 00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:18,440 Speaker 1: when I would mention that to people, they wouldn't they 718 00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:21,439 Speaker 1: wouldn't believe me, right, But then I'd see like one 719 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:24,640 Speaker 1: of my airmen friends walking by with a new set 720 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:28,759 Speaker 1: of breasts and I'm like, cool, you did that. Now, 721 00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:32,920 Speaker 1: let's hope we don't go to war, right because all 722 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:35,480 Speaker 1: this is happening again my first year when it was time. 723 00:43:36,160 --> 00:43:39,520 Speaker 1: That's incredible. Yeah, So working in the hospital in the military, 724 00:43:39,880 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 1: it could be its own TV series because a lot 725 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,280 Speaker 1: of people don't know like what actually goes on inside 726 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:48,120 Speaker 1: of the hospitals on a military base, which is extremely 727 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:52,920 Speaker 1: It can be very dramatic and intense from like the 728 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:57,439 Speaker 1: PTSD and the mental health ward of course, but then 729 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:05,520 Speaker 1: it can also be absolutely hysterical and like say plastics 730 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 1: area or um. You know, because when you get free healthcare, 731 00:44:11,719 --> 00:44:15,360 Speaker 1: everyone shows up and it's a party. So it was 732 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:19,800 Speaker 1: fun for me to be able to experience that free 733 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:23,440 Speaker 1: healthcare right like just anything anything anybody felt. They just 734 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:26,840 Speaker 1: came in, everybody, unlimited, come on in, get your prescriptions. 735 00:44:27,080 --> 00:44:28,960 Speaker 1: And I still get it today, And isn't that amazing? 736 00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:32,200 Speaker 1: That it keeps people healthy. Would you would you look 737 00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:36,920 Speaker 1: at that? If we just had it for everybody, we 738 00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:40,120 Speaker 1: would spend less annually as a nation on healthcare. You 739 00:44:40,160 --> 00:44:43,200 Speaker 1: wouldn't have be something, you know, but it's more important 740 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:48,920 Speaker 1: to go to space. So yeah, space hotels are. But 741 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:52,120 Speaker 1: I have been privileged to have free healthcare my entire 742 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:56,240 Speaker 1: adult life. That's incrediblem I definitely had to serve to earn, 743 00:44:56,440 --> 00:44:59,600 Speaker 1: but I got it, and um, I do wish that 744 00:44:59,640 --> 00:45:02,400 Speaker 1: everyone got to have that experience for sure. Hell yeah, 745 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:05,960 Speaker 1: I just I love hearing about all the departments you 746 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:09,080 Speaker 1: worked in and all the surgeries you watched and assisted 747 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:11,920 Speaker 1: on and every bit of that that prepped you for 748 00:45:11,960 --> 00:45:15,319 Speaker 1: this show. And oh my god, I just want to 749 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:20,680 Speaker 1: see a scene where there's some incredible military plastic surgeon 750 00:45:20,719 --> 00:45:23,840 Speaker 1: who can like put any part of a body back together, 751 00:45:23,920 --> 00:45:27,480 Speaker 1: who's like, nothing's happening. Will somebody just come in for 752 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:31,480 Speaker 1: a nose job? Anybody, just somebody come on, Like, I 753 00:45:31,600 --> 00:45:34,160 Speaker 1: gotta get to forty hours this week, Come on? That 754 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:41,000 Speaker 1: is so like all my friends they're begging, just begging 755 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:44,240 Speaker 1: for hours, and people are like, I mean, I couldn't 756 00:45:44,320 --> 00:45:47,799 Speaker 1: use a ship and plant since some year like unbelievable. 757 00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:50,000 Speaker 1: Oh no, it was and dental, like everybody was like 758 00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:52,000 Speaker 1: racking up on all the free stuff. It was amazing, 759 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:54,880 Speaker 1: It was amazing. It was a blast. Oh man, it 760 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:57,319 Speaker 1: is kind of crazy to be filming a show in 761 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 1: Canada because like, you know, we're not citizens here. But 762 00:46:01,760 --> 00:46:03,400 Speaker 1: I had to go to the doctor from my asthma 763 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:05,400 Speaker 1: and the fall and I had to go to the 764 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:08,840 Speaker 1: pharmacyat to get an inhaler and my inhaler was twelve 765 00:46:08,880 --> 00:46:14,239 Speaker 1: dollars as an uninsured person, and I was like what, wow, 766 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:19,080 Speaker 1: what well this is special? Wow? Yeah, like, oh, you 767 00:46:19,239 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 1: just you've regulated medicine to keep people safe here. This 768 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:28,720 Speaker 1: is cool. Who knew? Maybe we'll write a story about it. 769 00:46:28,719 --> 00:46:30,680 Speaker 1: Isn't it wild too? You become an actor and you 770 00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:33,520 Speaker 1: just like you see the good scene in every funny 771 00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:37,600 Speaker 1: thing that happens around you. You're like, this is everywhere 772 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:39,800 Speaker 1: and not just a good scene a frame, Like I 773 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:41,719 Speaker 1: can see a frame that's like, oh that would be 774 00:46:41,719 --> 00:46:44,480 Speaker 1: beautiful to shoot something right here. Um, but yeah, I 775 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:47,120 Speaker 1: have so many ideas that people are like you should 776 00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:49,960 Speaker 1: started writing, and I try writing, and I'm just I'm 777 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:52,680 Speaker 1: that's not my jam. But I do as an actor, 778 00:46:52,719 --> 00:46:57,440 Speaker 1: I see scenes constantly. Um or I'll put on a 779 00:46:57,480 --> 00:46:59,879 Speaker 1: scene myself. I'm very dramatic girl. The right song comes 780 00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:02,200 Speaker 1: on in the car, I'll do a whole music video 781 00:47:02,239 --> 00:47:05,600 Speaker 1: in the car. I'm like a casie animal in there. 782 00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:10,040 Speaker 1: If titanium comes on, yeah, yeah, um that. I think 783 00:47:10,080 --> 00:47:14,200 Speaker 1: that was definitely the uh, the first, the first cue 784 00:47:14,200 --> 00:47:16,239 Speaker 1: that I was meant to do to do this for 785 00:47:16,320 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 1: a living, because I've always been quite animated. So how 786 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:24,719 Speaker 1: did the how did that sort of repeated hint that 787 00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:29,200 Speaker 1: you were being sent turn into I'm gonna quit my 788 00:47:29,239 --> 00:47:33,839 Speaker 1: corporate job where I saw a heart medicine another another nod? 789 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:37,920 Speaker 1: How did you decide like, um, I'm gonna go and 790 00:47:37,960 --> 00:47:44,440 Speaker 1: pursue acting, and then how do you start? So? Um? Well, 791 00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:47,360 Speaker 1: after the military, while I was going to college, I 792 00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:51,520 Speaker 1: started working at plastic surgery clinic in Chicago. So that 793 00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,959 Speaker 1: was my part time job outside of the military. Because 794 00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:56,759 Speaker 1: of my experience, I was like, Okay, I'll go work 795 00:47:56,800 --> 00:47:58,680 Speaker 1: at the surgery clinic. So I was working at a 796 00:47:58,680 --> 00:48:02,279 Speaker 1: plastic surgery clinic. Um. And there's a woman there who 797 00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:05,319 Speaker 1: ran all of our consultations called lilyan chumption and Lily 798 00:48:05,440 --> 00:48:07,319 Speaker 1: in Chumption said to me all the time, I don't 799 00:48:07,360 --> 00:48:11,399 Speaker 1: know why you're going to college to go like work 800 00:48:11,440 --> 00:48:14,400 Speaker 1: a real job. You are supposed to be an actor. 801 00:48:14,760 --> 00:48:17,239 Speaker 1: Nobody else on the planet was saying this to me. 802 00:48:17,719 --> 00:48:22,120 Speaker 1: And she was like a fly in my ear buzzing 803 00:48:22,239 --> 00:48:25,120 Speaker 1: all the time. And I'd be like, Lilian, go away. 804 00:48:25,520 --> 00:48:28,799 Speaker 1: But I would make everybody laugh so much in the 805 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:31,839 Speaker 1: clinic that she would just stare at me and be like, 806 00:48:32,280 --> 00:48:36,200 Speaker 1: I'm so confused, like why are you doing acting? And 807 00:48:36,239 --> 00:48:38,480 Speaker 1: I'm like, it was just so random that she kept 808 00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:40,560 Speaker 1: doing that. She watched the episode, by the way, and 809 00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:42,200 Speaker 1: called me like, so she's still in my life today, 810 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:45,319 Speaker 1: and she called herself your first fan. So she was 811 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:47,799 Speaker 1: also like in my ear about it. And it had 812 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:50,720 Speaker 1: no effect on me at that time. I was like whatever, 813 00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:54,640 Speaker 1: I did the job until I finished college, graduated, got 814 00:48:54,719 --> 00:48:58,400 Speaker 1: hired in New York, went to New York Corporate. Two 815 00:48:58,480 --> 00:49:03,000 Speaker 1: years into corporate, um I I spoke to my mom 816 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:05,880 Speaker 1: and I told my mom. I was like, Mom, I 817 00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:09,200 Speaker 1: am unhappy. I don't know what I'm supposed to be 818 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:11,680 Speaker 1: doing with my life. And here i am in my 819 00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:15,879 Speaker 1: late twenties. I know, and I'm not supposed to be doing, 820 00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:20,399 Speaker 1: and that's this job because I'm eventually going to throw 821 00:49:20,440 --> 00:49:23,520 Speaker 1: myself out the window or downstairs. Um, I can't do 822 00:49:23,560 --> 00:49:27,879 Speaker 1: this anymore. And she says to me, Um, well, then 823 00:49:27,960 --> 00:49:29,960 Speaker 1: that's what you need to ask God for. You need 824 00:49:29,960 --> 00:49:31,799 Speaker 1: I don't know why I made her a southern bell um. 825 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:36,280 Speaker 1: You need to ask God for guidance for um for 826 00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:38,480 Speaker 1: a vision. And at that time, I did not have 827 00:49:38,520 --> 00:49:41,760 Speaker 1: a relationship with God. I was a fan of his work, 828 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:44,279 Speaker 1: but we didn't talk. You feel me. So I was 829 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:47,200 Speaker 1: just like, okay, I'll do that. So I went to 830 00:49:47,239 --> 00:49:51,800 Speaker 1: bed and I did. I prayed every night. I didn't know. 831 00:49:51,640 --> 00:49:57,279 Speaker 1: I did not even have a direct prayer as far 832 00:49:57,360 --> 00:50:02,200 Speaker 1: as specificity. It was just you, whatever I'm supposed to 833 00:50:02,239 --> 00:50:05,279 Speaker 1: be doing, just tell me. I'll do it. I won't 834 00:50:05,320 --> 00:50:08,359 Speaker 1: judge it, I'll just I'll just do it whatever it is, 835 00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,239 Speaker 1: like like please like. And I had that kind of 836 00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:14,960 Speaker 1: like a bit of a question about it. Um. It 837 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:18,000 Speaker 1: wasn't like a subtle like cue Bible prayer. And I 838 00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:19,960 Speaker 1: did that, and two weeks later, I'm not I'll never 839 00:50:19,960 --> 00:50:22,400 Speaker 1: forget it ever in life. But two weeks later I 840 00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:24,480 Speaker 1: woke up before my alarm clock and it was as 841 00:50:24,520 --> 00:50:27,359 Speaker 1: clear as day. I had this very vivid dream. Um, 842 00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:29,920 Speaker 1: it was very much l A acting all that, and 843 00:50:29,920 --> 00:50:32,799 Speaker 1: and I woke up and I immediately was like no. 844 00:50:33,320 --> 00:50:36,960 Speaker 1: I judged it immediately, like, no, hey, I hate l A. 845 00:50:37,040 --> 00:50:40,640 Speaker 1: B the same narrative that I held onto for ten 846 00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:43,400 Speaker 1: twelve years. I'm not going to do a job that 847 00:50:43,480 --> 00:50:45,440 Speaker 1: high school dropout could do. I would say that to 848 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:47,840 Speaker 1: myself all the time, over and over and over. The 849 00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:50,680 Speaker 1: longer you hold onto a narrative, it'll be real, right, 850 00:50:50,719 --> 00:50:54,480 Speaker 1: it'll be true to you. So I held onto that. No, 851 00:50:55,120 --> 00:50:57,120 Speaker 1: I did way too much work to go and do 852 00:50:57,160 --> 00:51:00,480 Speaker 1: a job that anyone could do. And then that moment 853 00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:03,600 Speaker 1: on I left my apartment and it was everywhere. Buses 854 00:51:03,600 --> 00:51:06,680 Speaker 1: would go by this says visit California subways of l A. 855 00:51:07,160 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 1: Like people would. Friends were moving to l A. Friends 856 00:51:10,520 --> 00:51:11,880 Speaker 1: were telling me like, oh my god, have you ever 857 00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:14,240 Speaker 1: thought about doing acting? All of a sudden, everybody started 858 00:51:14,239 --> 00:51:17,040 Speaker 1: saying it to me. It was everywhere. It was like 859 00:51:17,080 --> 00:51:20,880 Speaker 1: the matrix, like people started turning into that agent. And 860 00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:26,040 Speaker 1: I was just like, okay. So after all of that, 861 00:51:26,400 --> 00:51:31,640 Speaker 1: I convinced in a very funny way, my boss at 862 00:51:31,640 --> 00:51:34,920 Speaker 1: the pharmaceutical marketing firm to lay me off and not 863 00:51:34,960 --> 00:51:36,520 Speaker 1: fire me because I wasn't gonna quit. But if you 864 00:51:36,560 --> 00:51:38,759 Speaker 1: lay me off, I can get unemployment. If I can 865 00:51:38,760 --> 00:51:41,280 Speaker 1: get unappoyment, that means that will give me two years 866 00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:43,680 Speaker 1: to give this a shot. And if it doesn't work 867 00:51:43,719 --> 00:51:46,480 Speaker 1: out in two years, I'm gonna come back. So I 868 00:51:46,520 --> 00:51:49,799 Speaker 1: commenced him to do that, and he did, and uh yeah, 869 00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:52,360 Speaker 1: I got in my car, drove to l A. And 870 00:51:52,360 --> 00:51:57,200 Speaker 1: I had two years of unemployment and I I worked 871 00:51:57,320 --> 00:52:01,479 Speaker 1: as an extra on Cside New York for a full 872 00:52:01,520 --> 00:52:05,319 Speaker 1: season of twenty one episodes. And on that show was 873 00:52:05,640 --> 00:52:10,480 Speaker 1: an actor by the name of Hill Harper, and Hill Harper, 874 00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:15,200 Speaker 1: without me asking for permission, became my mentor and I 875 00:52:15,239 --> 00:52:18,040 Speaker 1: would come to him with questions. He would come to 876 00:52:18,080 --> 00:52:24,479 Speaker 1: me with answers, and he was very, very professional and 877 00:52:24,719 --> 00:52:28,680 Speaker 1: just stern with it, like like a like a military way. 878 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:32,960 Speaker 1: And I'm I text Hill just the other day and 879 00:52:33,000 --> 00:52:37,319 Speaker 1: I said to him, I said, whether you know this 880 00:52:37,440 --> 00:52:42,680 Speaker 1: or not, you were my first in person professional actor 881 00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:46,359 Speaker 1: mentor when I was an extra on the show. And 882 00:52:46,400 --> 00:52:51,440 Speaker 1: I isn't it wild that here we both are on 883 00:52:51,520 --> 00:52:55,920 Speaker 1: Network TV medical dramas with the word good in the title, 884 00:52:56,880 --> 00:52:58,480 Speaker 1: and that's what he would always say to me. He'd 885 00:52:58,520 --> 00:53:00,360 Speaker 1: be like, did you do do do? Did you get this? 886 00:53:00,400 --> 00:53:01,839 Speaker 1: Did you do that? I'd be like, yeah, people like 887 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:04,200 Speaker 1: good and he would just always say like it was 888 00:53:04,480 --> 00:53:08,880 Speaker 1: never great or like nothing big and and he replied 889 00:53:09,000 --> 00:53:12,320 Speaker 1: back and he was just like, I saw you pop 890 00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:16,200 Speaker 1: up on my TV and my smile was just so big, 891 00:53:16,239 --> 00:53:17,880 Speaker 1: and I was so proud of you, and I'm so like, 892 00:53:17,920 --> 00:53:21,359 Speaker 1: he just gave me all the all the flowers. But 893 00:53:21,480 --> 00:53:25,040 Speaker 1: that's where it started. Hill Hill Harper kind of taught 894 00:53:25,080 --> 00:53:29,400 Speaker 1: me how to build my foundation and and then I 895 00:53:29,480 --> 00:53:31,279 Speaker 1: learned from being an extra on the set of c 896 00:53:31,440 --> 00:53:35,040 Speaker 1: S I New York and from there on that's a 897 00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:39,080 Speaker 1: whole other conversation as well. Um, I feel like you 898 00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:46,880 Speaker 1: and I can have multiple, multiple conversations like the process 899 00:53:46,960 --> 00:53:51,880 Speaker 1: that I've been able to experience while brutal, m levitating. 900 00:53:53,520 --> 00:53:57,480 Speaker 1: I think that's so important though, because so many people 901 00:53:59,160 --> 00:54:03,120 Speaker 1: just think some people get like the Midas touch and 902 00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:06,520 Speaker 1: there are success overnight and it's just not real. I 903 00:54:06,520 --> 00:54:08,640 Speaker 1: always tell I always tell people it takes ten years 904 00:54:08,680 --> 00:54:12,760 Speaker 1: to become an overnight. Absolutely, it was ten years until 905 00:54:12,760 --> 00:54:17,240 Speaker 1: I book this job from when I started. It's hard. 906 00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:22,279 Speaker 1: It's thousands and thousands of nose. It's like, how am 907 00:54:22,320 --> 00:54:27,200 Speaker 1: I gonna make rent this month? It's it's crazy, and 908 00:54:27,719 --> 00:54:30,000 Speaker 1: I don't know. I think there's always something to it. 909 00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:32,520 Speaker 1: And by the way, even the way that the arts 910 00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:37,200 Speaker 1: are judged, even the way that you learned picked up 911 00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:41,640 Speaker 1: or or further to narrative, like oh, high school dropouts 912 00:54:41,680 --> 00:54:45,600 Speaker 1: do that job. And then like I'll never forget turning 913 00:54:45,600 --> 00:54:49,560 Speaker 1: around years ago and meeting Mirrors or Vino and being like, oh, 914 00:54:49,640 --> 00:54:53,640 Speaker 1: this's like Academy Award nominated, like incredible artists, you know. 915 00:54:53,760 --> 00:54:56,640 Speaker 1: And then I find out that she graduated magna cum 916 00:54:56,760 --> 00:55:02,200 Speaker 1: lauda from Harvard University, and you know, like yeah, speaks 917 00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:05,160 Speaker 1: Chinese and like and I just was like cool, yep. 918 00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:07,960 Speaker 1: I don't know why I judge my profession so hard, 919 00:55:08,000 --> 00:55:10,279 Speaker 1: but maybe I should stop. Yeah, well that was the 920 00:55:10,280 --> 00:55:12,080 Speaker 1: thing they here here. I was a front of Hill 921 00:55:12,080 --> 00:55:15,080 Speaker 1: Harper who has a Harvard law degree, and the roommates 922 00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:18,839 Speaker 1: with Obama for a semester, so like, the universe could 923 00:55:18,840 --> 00:55:21,399 Speaker 1: not have aligned me with anybody else to tell me, 924 00:55:21,560 --> 00:55:26,440 Speaker 1: like you kill that narrative because this man went from 925 00:55:26,520 --> 00:55:30,719 Speaker 1: having a Harvard law degree to waiting tables kill it. 926 00:55:31,200 --> 00:55:33,320 Speaker 1: We're done here. And and it wasn't so much that 927 00:55:33,440 --> 00:55:35,719 Speaker 1: like that's a job that high school dropout does. It 928 00:55:35,840 --> 00:55:39,040 Speaker 1: was anyone could could go and become an actor like 929 00:55:39,040 --> 00:55:40,600 Speaker 1: a high school drop I could do it like I could. 930 00:55:40,600 --> 00:55:43,080 Speaker 1: Anyone can go do it like it's not No, there's 931 00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:48,280 Speaker 1: no prerequisites, right, But then you realize anyone can't. Anyone 932 00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:55,040 Speaker 1: absolutely cannot. No, ma'am. Now is there the magic wand 933 00:55:55,080 --> 00:55:58,239 Speaker 1: effect that happens out there? Yeah, sure that happens, and 934 00:55:58,280 --> 00:56:02,160 Speaker 1: that's that person's journey. I was thrilled for Lupia when 935 00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:03,799 Speaker 1: she came out of high school and went straight to 936 00:56:03,800 --> 00:56:05,880 Speaker 1: the Oscar. I mean when up came out of Yale 937 00:56:06,040 --> 00:56:09,640 Speaker 1: and went straight to the Oscar. Yep, go girl, get 938 00:56:09,680 --> 00:56:13,160 Speaker 1: to work. You have work to do. You know, they're not. 939 00:56:13,239 --> 00:56:17,440 Speaker 1: Everyone's journey is the same, of course, But whether you 940 00:56:17,480 --> 00:56:20,799 Speaker 1: get tapped at that magic wand or not, it is 941 00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:26,640 Speaker 1: not easy. Is it worth it? When it's what you love, 942 00:56:27,640 --> 00:56:30,520 Speaker 1: it's what you're meant to do? Yeah, And you know, 943 00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:33,800 Speaker 1: I think about it. In any industry, we need a 944 00:56:33,880 --> 00:56:38,640 Speaker 1: Loopeta story. We need the guys who created Warby Parker. 945 00:56:39,360 --> 00:56:42,880 Speaker 1: We need, like, we need people who do it and 946 00:56:43,160 --> 00:56:46,719 Speaker 1: soar fast because they inspire the rest of us to 947 00:56:46,920 --> 00:56:50,839 Speaker 1: keep going when it's slow astely. You need examples of 948 00:56:50,920 --> 00:56:56,359 Speaker 1: magic to do your wizarding work. I like that, you know, 949 00:56:57,239 --> 00:56:59,359 Speaker 1: like who's going to go to Hogwarts if you don't 950 00:56:59,360 --> 00:57:02,680 Speaker 1: know there's ever a musician. I'm leaning into adjacent now, 951 00:57:03,480 --> 00:57:06,319 Speaker 1: But yeah, I just I don't know. I love it, 952 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:10,560 Speaker 1: and I'm curious when you talk about the journey, you know, 953 00:57:12,080 --> 00:57:14,719 Speaker 1: learning as an extra, And I love that too. My 954 00:57:14,800 --> 00:57:17,080 Speaker 1: dad always used to say to me, you know, and 955 00:57:17,520 --> 00:57:20,240 Speaker 1: before he retired, my dad was a photographer for a 956 00:57:20,280 --> 00:57:24,080 Speaker 1: long time and he he always said, like, we need 957 00:57:24,080 --> 00:57:26,560 Speaker 1: to have to hire a photo assistant for the studio. 958 00:57:27,320 --> 00:57:29,480 Speaker 1: He was like, I never hired the person who's the 959 00:57:29,520 --> 00:57:32,600 Speaker 1: most impressive. I always hire the person who says, I 960 00:57:32,640 --> 00:57:35,160 Speaker 1: will do anything to work here. I will stay late 961 00:57:35,200 --> 00:57:37,360 Speaker 1: and repaint the studio floor every night. I will do 962 00:57:37,480 --> 00:57:39,959 Speaker 1: runs to the film place, I will pick up launch, 963 00:57:40,000 --> 00:57:42,800 Speaker 1: I'll make coffee whatever I want to learn. He was like, 964 00:57:42,880 --> 00:57:46,120 Speaker 1: that's always the person I hire. And when you want 965 00:57:46,240 --> 00:57:49,320 Speaker 1: to learn and you're willing to do the work, Oh, 966 00:57:49,400 --> 00:57:52,480 Speaker 1: it's just my favorite kind of people. Why we're here 967 00:57:52,520 --> 00:57:54,400 Speaker 1: together as well. That's the thing. It's like, it's not 968 00:57:54,440 --> 00:57:56,840 Speaker 1: about what you're doing, it's about who you're being while 969 00:57:56,840 --> 00:58:02,000 Speaker 1: you're doing it. Always, So I saw that the extras 970 00:58:02,040 --> 00:58:04,880 Speaker 1: there were just like I just walking like zombies, Like 971 00:58:04,920 --> 00:58:07,280 Speaker 1: I'm just an extra, I'm just a background actor. And 972 00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:09,520 Speaker 1: then whenever they say cut, they just go back to 973 00:58:09,600 --> 00:58:12,919 Speaker 1: holding and staring their phones or staring their laptop. That's 974 00:58:12,920 --> 00:58:15,440 Speaker 1: what you're that's what you're doing. That's what you're doing, 975 00:58:15,760 --> 00:58:19,600 Speaker 1: and that's who you're being. That's great, that's twelve fourteen 976 00:58:19,600 --> 00:58:22,200 Speaker 1: hours of your day Monday to Friday. That's not who 977 00:58:22,200 --> 00:58:24,960 Speaker 1: I'm going to be. So instead I would wake up 978 00:58:24,960 --> 00:58:27,800 Speaker 1: every day and who I was being was a paid intern. 979 00:58:28,280 --> 00:58:31,000 Speaker 1: This is a paid internship. All I knew was some 980 00:58:31,080 --> 00:58:33,960 Speaker 1: theater that I tried out and in classes, but I 981 00:58:33,960 --> 00:58:37,240 Speaker 1: didn't know what banana around the camera and martini shop meant. 982 00:58:37,880 --> 00:58:39,600 Speaker 1: I don't know any of that kind of stuff like 983 00:58:40,040 --> 00:58:42,720 Speaker 1: or the difference between the framing and I don't. I 984 00:58:42,800 --> 00:58:46,000 Speaker 1: knew nothing. So I would sit and stay on set 985 00:58:46,520 --> 00:58:49,439 Speaker 1: while they would go off to holding. Because in order 986 00:58:49,440 --> 00:58:51,720 Speaker 1: to be a paid intern, I had to be an 987 00:58:51,760 --> 00:58:54,680 Speaker 1: intern first, right, So I would take notes. I would 988 00:58:55,000 --> 00:58:56,800 Speaker 1: I would I would take the call sheet at the 989 00:58:56,880 --> 00:58:59,840 Speaker 1: end of the day for next day's you know, shoot schedule. 990 00:59:00,320 --> 00:59:03,200 Speaker 1: I would research the people coming in. Every new director 991 00:59:03,280 --> 00:59:05,160 Speaker 1: I knew about, I knew the history, I knew where 992 00:59:05,200 --> 00:59:07,480 Speaker 1: they were from. Um. I was able to have a 993 00:59:07,480 --> 00:59:11,360 Speaker 1: conversation at that moment. Ever happened with the writers as well, 994 00:59:11,520 --> 00:59:14,720 Speaker 1: Like I was always a couple steps away from video village. 995 00:59:14,720 --> 00:59:18,720 Speaker 1: Like it was very strategic, um and and that's what 996 00:59:19,040 --> 00:59:22,840 Speaker 1: made it a part of the process for me. It 997 00:59:22,880 --> 00:59:26,760 Speaker 1: wasn't a side job. It was the job that was 998 00:59:27,000 --> 00:59:32,360 Speaker 1: my mail room, that was my medical records room, you know, 999 00:59:32,520 --> 00:59:34,840 Speaker 1: Like it was there for me to learn the foundation 1000 00:59:34,920 --> 00:59:38,720 Speaker 1: and to build some principles around the industry. And that's 1001 00:59:38,720 --> 00:59:42,240 Speaker 1: what that did for me. And again without him knowing, 1002 00:59:42,320 --> 00:59:46,280 Speaker 1: Hill became like a bit of my supervisor. And from 1003 00:59:46,320 --> 00:59:48,880 Speaker 1: there I went on to doing those one liners, and 1004 00:59:48,880 --> 00:59:50,760 Speaker 1: then the few more lines, and then a guest star, 1005 00:59:50,840 --> 00:59:52,360 Speaker 1: and then a Top of Show guest star, and then 1006 00:59:52,400 --> 00:59:54,960 Speaker 1: recurring and now here I am in my first series regular. 1007 00:59:55,680 --> 01:00:01,400 Speaker 1: But it's definitely just been me graduating every every year. 1008 01:00:01,440 --> 01:00:04,200 Speaker 1: It just has felt like a shedding of a skin 1009 01:00:04,280 --> 01:00:08,280 Speaker 1: and just consistently graduating. And I do not compare myself 1010 01:00:08,280 --> 01:00:12,560 Speaker 1: to anyone else. I genuinely do not. I believe that 1011 01:00:12,640 --> 01:00:16,560 Speaker 1: I am unique in my own way, and I and 1012 01:00:16,760 --> 01:00:23,560 Speaker 1: to honor how interesting and and crazy and just incredible 1013 01:00:23,600 --> 01:00:26,880 Speaker 1: my parents are, and to honor them, I can't compare 1014 01:00:26,920 --> 01:00:31,840 Speaker 1: myself to anyone else because they are both very dynamic 1015 01:00:31,920 --> 01:00:35,440 Speaker 1: people in their own way. So in order for me 1016 01:00:35,520 --> 01:00:38,320 Speaker 1: to to feel good about the process with all the nose, 1017 01:00:38,360 --> 01:00:42,120 Speaker 1: as you say, is i'd have my only comparison is 1018 01:00:42,360 --> 01:00:45,280 Speaker 1: was to just like, Okay, what did I do last year? 1019 01:00:46,160 --> 01:00:51,520 Speaker 1: Is this year looking better? It is great? Keep going 1020 01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:54,440 Speaker 1: like that was enough for me of just like comparing 1021 01:00:54,520 --> 01:00:57,680 Speaker 1: my my year to last year's, Like did I even 1022 01:00:57,680 --> 01:01:02,600 Speaker 1: make more last year? Great? That I make one new friend? Awesome? 1023 01:01:02,880 --> 01:01:05,560 Speaker 1: Did I? You know, it was just just kind of 1024 01:01:05,640 --> 01:01:08,120 Speaker 1: and and that is just allowed me to watch the 1025 01:01:08,160 --> 01:01:12,160 Speaker 1: growth just you know, kind of consistently take place where 1026 01:01:12,320 --> 01:01:16,920 Speaker 1: I don't stop and quit or see it as rejection, 1027 01:01:17,680 --> 01:01:21,200 Speaker 1: you know, you rather yeah, the whin are you learn? 1028 01:01:22,560 --> 01:01:26,360 Speaker 1: Mm hmmm? And if you when are you learned? You're 1029 01:01:26,440 --> 01:01:31,720 Speaker 1: kind of always winning that part, that part, but you 1030 01:01:31,760 --> 01:01:35,040 Speaker 1: know a lot of times people will romanticize about the 1031 01:01:35,040 --> 01:01:39,160 Speaker 1: goal but dread the execution. And and we we have 1032 01:01:39,280 --> 01:01:44,480 Speaker 1: to just remember that with that goal, having me having this, 1033 01:01:44,480 --> 01:01:47,240 Speaker 1: this is the goal. This was this was the wedding, 1034 01:01:47,560 --> 01:01:49,960 Speaker 1: this was the first child, This was like something I 1035 01:01:50,000 --> 01:01:53,360 Speaker 1: have been planning for for twelve years. Right, it's this 1036 01:01:53,480 --> 01:01:57,440 Speaker 1: moment that I'm having right now. The goal was the thought. 1037 01:01:58,440 --> 01:02:01,840 Speaker 1: The execution was the worst. And that is the part 1038 01:02:02,000 --> 01:02:04,920 Speaker 1: that is it is that's the part that many people 1039 01:02:05,000 --> 01:02:09,120 Speaker 1: dread well. And the irony is when you meet your goal, 1040 01:02:10,280 --> 01:02:13,440 Speaker 1: you only meet it for a moment, and then you 1041 01:02:13,480 --> 01:02:17,919 Speaker 1: have to execute on it. Everything is actually in the execution. 1042 01:02:18,720 --> 01:02:21,280 Speaker 1: And if we only celebrate when we achieve our goal, 1043 01:02:21,400 --> 01:02:24,880 Speaker 1: we celebrate for so few moments in life. Even if 1044 01:02:24,880 --> 01:02:28,800 Speaker 1: the goals are big, it's like, all right, well we 1045 01:02:28,920 --> 01:02:31,200 Speaker 1: got this big show. Now we have to make it. 1046 01:02:32,280 --> 01:02:37,000 Speaker 1: So we better love making things. We better love creating things, 1047 01:02:37,000 --> 01:02:38,920 Speaker 1: whether they get made or not, because then when it 1048 01:02:38,960 --> 01:02:42,360 Speaker 1: does get made, then you get to create it every day. 1049 01:02:42,440 --> 01:02:49,160 Speaker 1: Like And that that's a practice that takes work. Yeah, yeah, 1050 01:02:49,400 --> 01:02:51,720 Speaker 1: being present takes work. Sometimes some of them have to 1051 01:02:51,720 --> 01:02:55,640 Speaker 1: tell myself, stop it just totally right now, right now, 1052 01:02:55,880 --> 01:03:00,680 Speaker 1: look around, Look around, look around, lookin. We ought to 1053 01:03:00,760 --> 01:03:04,040 Speaker 1: be alive. I'm not a singer, sorry, um, but like 1054 01:03:04,160 --> 01:03:08,840 Speaker 1: it's just that I have to do that so so often. Um. 1055 01:03:09,000 --> 01:03:13,560 Speaker 1: I saw this video of Tom Hanks from around table 1056 01:03:13,680 --> 01:03:17,760 Speaker 1: with the Hollywood Reporter and he said, I guess they 1057 01:03:17,800 --> 01:03:20,360 Speaker 1: were asking him because it was cut, but I think 1058 01:03:20,360 --> 01:03:23,560 Speaker 1: they asked him, you know, like like dropping a gym, 1059 01:03:23,640 --> 01:03:27,200 Speaker 1: and he said, um, this two shall pass, like he 1060 01:03:27,200 --> 01:03:29,280 Speaker 1: wished that he really understood that, like this two shall 1061 01:03:29,360 --> 01:03:32,280 Speaker 1: pass when you're feeling low, when you're feeling sad, when 1062 01:03:32,280 --> 01:03:38,680 Speaker 1: you're feeling unsuccessful or or undesired, or this two shell pass, 1063 01:03:38,720 --> 01:03:41,880 Speaker 1: but also when you're feeling high and like you're on 1064 01:03:41,920 --> 01:03:44,400 Speaker 1: top of life and everything is working out in your favor, 1065 01:03:44,720 --> 01:03:48,240 Speaker 1: this two shell pass, you know, and just knowing that 1066 01:03:48,320 --> 01:03:52,400 Speaker 1: time is inevitable, but time is always there to bring 1067 01:03:52,440 --> 01:03:55,200 Speaker 1: you through, bring you. Just just give it time. Just 1068 01:03:55,200 --> 01:03:59,200 Speaker 1: give everything time, you know. And that's what being in 1069 01:03:59,240 --> 01:04:05,120 Speaker 1: this it's like this experience with you all on this show. 1070 01:04:05,840 --> 01:04:10,120 Speaker 1: I just constantly want to just stop time and just 1071 01:04:10,280 --> 01:04:16,480 Speaker 1: sitting it. I know, it's so funny. I mean, and 1072 01:04:16,520 --> 01:04:18,160 Speaker 1: I know I said this to you last night, but 1073 01:04:18,280 --> 01:04:21,680 Speaker 1: like I had such a hard time over the holiday break, 1074 01:04:22,440 --> 01:04:25,400 Speaker 1: Like I was so happy, and you know, we were home, 1075 01:04:25,480 --> 01:04:30,440 Speaker 1: we hosted our family. It was great. But to be 1076 01:04:30,680 --> 01:04:35,080 Speaker 1: present at home meant that I didn't get to see 1077 01:04:35,120 --> 01:04:39,520 Speaker 1: you for weeks. And like I tried to be really 1078 01:04:39,600 --> 01:04:42,160 Speaker 1: conscious when I was home of being off my phone, 1079 01:04:42,720 --> 01:04:45,160 Speaker 1: like just putting my phone away, like I'd leave it 1080 01:04:45,160 --> 01:04:49,440 Speaker 1: in the bedroom, I'd leave it in the bathroom. But like, 1081 01:04:50,120 --> 01:04:52,960 Speaker 1: but that's why I was just after like eight days, 1082 01:04:53,000 --> 01:04:55,000 Speaker 1: I'd start sending you text at all gaps, like, oh 1083 01:04:55,040 --> 01:04:56,840 Speaker 1: my god, I missed you. What are you doing for 1084 01:04:56,920 --> 01:04:58,520 Speaker 1: me every day? Tell me everything again? And then I'm 1085 01:04:58,560 --> 01:05:00,360 Speaker 1: like I don't even know what to say. I just 1086 01:05:01,160 --> 01:05:04,680 Speaker 1: miss you. And it's like and it's crazy because then 1087 01:05:05,320 --> 01:05:08,120 Speaker 1: I have that there are some days when I'm here 1088 01:05:08,160 --> 01:05:10,040 Speaker 1: and I'll realize I haven't talked to my best friend 1089 01:05:10,080 --> 01:05:13,040 Speaker 1: back home in the three weeks, and I'm like, there 1090 01:05:13,160 --> 01:05:16,520 Speaker 1: is just not enough time. If we just had a 1091 01:05:16,560 --> 01:05:20,400 Speaker 1: little more time. But but then what I think is 1092 01:05:20,720 --> 01:05:24,520 Speaker 1: how lucky am I that there are people in my 1093 01:05:24,560 --> 01:05:26,560 Speaker 1: life who if I don't see them for a few days, 1094 01:05:26,640 --> 01:05:32,080 Speaker 1: I ache for their smile, Like I just I like 1095 01:05:32,280 --> 01:05:37,200 Speaker 1: ache to know what they're doing Oh yeah, and that's 1096 01:05:37,240 --> 01:05:41,479 Speaker 1: the long game too, you know, Like that's that's being 1097 01:05:41,560 --> 01:05:45,240 Speaker 1: in it and and finding your people and leaning on 1098 01:05:45,320 --> 01:05:48,440 Speaker 1: your people and and creating a world around you that 1099 01:05:48,480 --> 01:05:50,240 Speaker 1: you want to be in. And like we got to 1100 01:05:50,280 --> 01:05:54,880 Speaker 1: create this, we really did. You want to tell the 1101 01:05:54,920 --> 01:06:03,240 Speaker 1: people how it started Aboutely, Well, this was a lot 1102 01:06:03,280 --> 01:06:05,919 Speaker 1: of fun. Do not forget that this is just part one. 1103 01:06:06,360 --> 01:06:08,640 Speaker 1: I'm so glad that we did this today. Yeah, let's 1104 01:06:08,680 --> 01:06:09,240 Speaker 1: keep doing it.