Truth be told, I'm a very discerning person when it comes to friends. Very discerning. In fact, there may very well be people in this world who think that we are the best of chums, but who I haven't really quite made my mind up about yet.
While I can play the part of an outgoing people person, I am still very much an introvert: highly analytical, deeply introspective, and always observing. Behind all of those girlish smiles, hair flips and giggles, is a pretty sharp brain that is always scanning, always assessing you: your integrity, your morals, your motives, the way you raise your eyebrows when you greet someone - I'm assessing whether or not that was a real eyebrow flash or if you are trying to use body language tactics for some kind of ulterior motive... Basically, I'm a suspicious type - always watching out for wolves in sheep's clothing, and that makes me, well, hard to really get to know.
What can I say? We are who we are. Its a part of my nature.
So when someone passes my meticulous screening process and I actually feel drawn to build a close friendship with them, it is always because there is something very special about that person.
Angela is one of those people. Of course it helps that she's an actress, singer, musician, yoga teacher, business woman and all of the above which makes her creative, fun to be around, and interesting, but I think more than anything, its because I respect her.
She never went to college, but she has extracted more wisdom from life and life experience than anyone I know. She's humble and really, really funny. She can observe herself from the 3rd person and laugh at her shortcomings. She also never seems to lose her sense of wonder and amazement, yet is firmly grounded in reality and anyone who can crack up with me about the fake "woo-woo" you find in Hollywood is already moving up my list.
She's an easy friend to be with. She's at peace in herself. Her emotions are not up and down, riding waves of blood sugar levels, but are constant, consistent, steady and change only according to context... when its time to be quiet, she's quiet; when its time to carry the conversation, she carries it.
She does what she says she's going to do. When she gives you her word, you can count on her.
She has a "plug and play" personality. You could drop her in a group of C-level executives and she'd win them over. You could drop her in another group of let's say, a really scary motorcycle gang and she'd win them over just the same. You could put her anywhere - in any subculture, any socioeconomic group, anywhere and she'd fit right in.
She doesn't speak negatively about anyone and I think because of that, she has a pretty drama-free existence. She doesn't take up your space or deplete your energy; in fact, she gives it you. She seems to give energy - its a little like she brings her own sun to your gloomy day.
She also just seems to have a lot of magic around her - mostly because she's open to the possibilities and I think that's what I love about her best. She reminds me that over something as simple as a 3 minute phone call, a layover or an email, life can change just like that into something so much better.
She left Los Angeles about six months after I left, sold everything, went to Moscow to do a show, and then decided she'd use her last little bit of money to go to Italy, where she met her now husband. And they lived happily ever after.
I've learned a lot from her. She is a very deep, bright soul - an incredibly special person.
And as life would have it, she and her husband are coming home to live in Atlanta! Who would have thought in a million years we'd be living in the same city again! I couldn't be more thrilled!
Life, huh? What a ride! This deserves a shot of Absinthe!
Blue Skies,
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