Quote of the Week

"Use your talent (everybody has one) in anyway you can. Don't keep it for yourself like a miser-spend it like a millionaire! " ~Lucy MacDonald

This week I am going to delve into my past. Before I jumped head first into the world of journalism, I had and always will have a huge passion for musical theatre and performing arts. In high school I was involved with a local community theatre Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre. I started singing and dancing at the ripe young age of three. I continued my musical performing and developed my talent as I grew up. Freshman year in high school, I finally mustered up the courage to try-out for a local community theatre. I was given a part in the musical Peter Pan and this began my exciting adventure ultimately doing about 15 shows during my four years of high school. I discovered my talents and shared them with my family, my friends and the community. The adrenaline, excitement and passion of performing was such a positive part of my life. I learned how to work hard during practice and ultimately take my work to the stage. Sharing my talents and being taught by others with a vast array of talents, was an experience that I take with me on a daily basis. I learned how to be confident in front of a crowd. I learned how to solve problems quickly and think on my feet. I learned how to be mature during a disappointment and rightfully humble when I succeed. I worked with adults and children of all ages expanding my ability to interact with the awareness and respect of cross-generational differences.

These new talents as well as the ones I used while performing in a show, have become helpful tools during my adventures in journalism. Even though I am no longer regularly performing in musical theatre, it has made me a more confident, enthusiastic journalist. The skills that I acquired on and off stage during my performing days give me the ability to engage with my audience while I am on air, or to be confident in the field during interviews or phone calls. The poise and enthusiasm that theatre has taught me directly translates into the talents that I need and use in communication today. I am thankful for my past experiences and I will remember the quote's challenge to continue to share my talents on a daily basis. By sharing mine, I can also discover others and grow in journalism just as I grew in the theatre world.

Once I do settle into a city in the near future with a job and a new life, one of my goals is to reunite with singing, acting and dancing and feel the bright lights of the stage again. Sharing joy with an audience through performance is something that I miss and will always remember as I interact with others in the professional world.