Welcome to my blog!

Hello, I’m so glad you’re here!  Let me bring you up to speed…

While he hasn’t the faintest clue I exist, Jason Bateman (the absolute best actor ever to grace us with his presence, more on that later) is responsible for a major turning point in my life.

In 2014, I’d spent the last year losing more than 100 pounds and focusing on myself. Being over 30 and feeling drastically behind at life in general, it was also a sort of last-ditch effort to find a husband. I didn’t find, and still haven’t found, a husband (or even a real contender), but I have done so many other things I never thought I’d do in my life.

As Pinterest tells us, you never really know you’re in a life-changing moment while you’re in it.  I had no idea that a week at South by Southwest to see Jason speak and watch his directorial debut Bad Words would change my life. I did it because, like I said, I was focusing on myself and my interests.  And I had no bigger interest at the time than Jason Bateman.

I wasn’t familiar with Jason until I saw Identify Thief in the theater one Friday after work in 2013. I went home, immediately hit his IMDB page and then proceeded to order every one of his movies. I spent nights and weekends for the next couple of weeks (I’m an overachiever) making my way through the full Jason Bateman catalogue, TV and film. I loved them all (equally, like I imagine parents love their children), and I was always on the lookout for his next project.

So when I saw that Jason would be premiering his directorial debut film at SXSW, I knew I had to be there. Jason in Texas, a mere road trip away? It was a sign from the universe, and I bought my ticket.  That week was surreal. I waited in the cold for hours (many of them albeit unnecessary, but I was committed and better safe than sorry) to have a front-row seat for the film, which did not disappoint.  And then I did the same thing the next morning to see him speak before a crowd.  Not only did I sit second row, I hopped out of my chair when they opened it up to the audience for questions.  I don’t remember the exact exchange anymore, but we spoke to each other. For 60 seconds, Jason Bateman’s attention was focused on me.

It was the best day of my life…Not only because Jason is the most talented and beautiful actor in the world (don’t fight me on this), but because it was proof that I could make unbelievable things happen for myself.  If you’d have told me when I was watching Identity Thief a year before that something like this was possible, I’d have said you were out of your mind. It was completely and legitimately unfathomable to me.

But it led to more unfathomable things – I just moved from Seattle (a whole other story) to the epicenter of literally all the things, New York City. After work the other day, I went to an actual Broadway show just like I used to go to the movies. Unreal. Although I’d dreamed of it, I never really thought I’d live outside of Houston. Yet here I am, writing this from the Upper East Side (what??).

My hope is that this blog serves as a reminder (mainly to me, but to anyone else who may read it too) to chase moments like the one I had with Jason Bateman at SXSW. Chasing Bateman…I like to sing it to the tune of Adele’s Chasing Pavement, but that may just be me.