A few reflections at the mid-century mark

Happy birthday Randy! You're 50!

I feel like I need to post something regarding this milestone.  I wish I felt like I was so much wiser, but the older I get, I'm more and more convinced that certainty and confidence are two very different things.

I will say there are a few things that cross my mind as I head into my next 50 years (in no particular order):

• Once a dancer, always a dancer. We get older, we may get slower, but we're still dancing. Light or no light, we're hitting a tap step or lifting an arm on the beat.  It's just who we are, and I thank god for that.

• Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people. (Yes, in my opinion, there are bad people in the world).

You can help people; you can let them live in your home for months for free as they get on their feet; you can pay off their cars so they don't get repossessed so they can still get to work; you can do all sorts of things thinking you're helping. And it is somehow possible that those same folks may turn on you. Sometimes, you will somehow be the "asshole."

Get over it. And get over those people. Focus on why you did what you did; let them go, and keep looking forward.

• My favorite saying, learned long ago from my BFF Carlye: You can be right, or you can get what you want.   They're not always the same thing.

When I think of this, I always take the perspective that "being right" is about ego.  Getting what you want is happiness.  I'll take happiness.  The ego left long ago.

• I'm blessed EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I'm healthy (f*ck you cancer); I'm in love with my husband who loves me back for almost 19 years; I have the same best friend, Carlye, who makes me better every day just by knowing her; I have a very cool life (!!!) as an actor/dancer/choreographer and I start rehearsals for a production tomorrow (they still like me!  they still like me!); I get to write and voice my thoughts here on The Randy Report every day and I'm knocked out that thousands show up, read what I post and share their thoughts.  How fabulous is that?  I NEVER take any of this for granted.

• Believing in yourself is not a substitute for working on yourself. Do the work.

• LIVE your life - don't Facebook it.

• If I could ask anything of anyone it would be this - "raise up your voice for what you believe in."  Get loud.  Get out there.  Make some noise.

• Last one - years ago a friend was in an argument with her boyfriend and out of no where said "I'm not afraid of anything." And that sounded so powerful to me.

So I TRY to embrace that every day. Even if I just pretend it's true. Because a piece of it seeps into me every time I say it. I'm going to keep voicing my opinions on equal rights, marriage equality and everything else I believe in. My silly sense of humor and the music I love.  F*ck the haters - please take me on. I'm not afraid of anything.

My "birthday song" this year is from the fab Cheyenne Jackson. It's the title track to his new album I'm Blue, Skies. I encourage you to go check out the full song and album on iTunes. I like him and his music a lot.

The lyrics to this song pretty much sum up my feelings today.

Thanks everyone for reading The Randy Report. I appreciate it more than you know.