I’m hoping to find more freelance voiceover work in Nashville so I thought I’d take a chance and start posting demo “videos” on YouTube. This is a small sample of my work from 1989 to 2007. Too bad my career mostly predated the age of MP3s! I had to track these down from reels and VHS tapes. Not. Kidding.
My @tumblr story was picked as one of their favorites! WHAAAT. http://t.co/M6cKhK03—
Kyera (@kyerabee) May 09, 2012
And to think I introduced her to Tumblr in May 2007. Yup, she will far exceed me in every way.
I’m a statistic. I fall under the category of “heard the Gospel before the age of twenty-five.” People who keep tabs on statistics when people hear the Gospel say that most do as young adults. That was me. But unlike many people my age in 1991 Manila, I was a young mom and wife at twenty-two. Unlike my peers who were enjoying college life, I dropped out at nineteen, pregnant and barely two years in to getting a degree in Literature from the comfortably Catholic De La Salle University.
It was fear of the future and the unknown that pushed me into a relationship with my Lord and Savior. The Gulf War had broken out, and I was deathly afraid of the future. I think becoming a parent made me fearful. “What kind of world would my daughter grow up in?” constantly raced through my mind and kept me up at night.
I know, right. I haven’t been doing voiceover at my previous level and yet here I am dishing out advice.
I got an inquiry in my inbox through my About.me profile on how to get started in voiceover. The person wanted any tips I could give. As I was answering the email, I figured I’d turn it into a blog post!
I’ve had to eat a lot of humble pie when it comes to voiceover. It’s just an entirely different ballgame here in the US. Competition is stiff. And for someone who works a full-time job, it’s not a priority for me at the moment to start at the bottom of the rung. That being said, the following tips I came up with are all part of my experience and personal journey, which I love sharing.
This is my one word for 2012.
It’s from one of my favorite Psalms, the 126th one. The verse that I love the most is the first:
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
I’ve been in such a dark and lonely valley for the most part of 2011, but I know that right beside me, my Savior stays and holds me by me right hand, and tells me constantly of His fierce, passionate love for me, even when I refuse to hear Him.
It’s been so dark that I’ve forgotten how to dream.
That’s what I’m looking forward to in 2012. Being restored.
How about you?
on airport shuttle to get my daughter!!!—
Thelma Bowlen (@thelmabowlen) November 13, 2007
Just landed in Orlando! In one piece! Hehe. Missing people but excited to see mom.—
Kyera Legaspi (@kyerabee) November 13, 2007
i felt like i gave birth again. only this time she's 17 and i didn't have to wait 9 months! i looove her sooo much.—
Thelma Bowlen (@thelmabowlen) November 14, 2007
falling into a deep and blissful sleep for the first time in 8 weeks.—
Thelma Bowlen (@thelmabowlen) November 14, 2007
This gallery contains 22 photos.
Since moving to Nashville — our third Christmas here — we’ve been spending Christmas Eve with Filipinos. (The Philippines typically starts celebrating Christmas on the Eve, and keeps going until the following day. Actually, Christmas starts on December 16 with … Continue reading
Our plan last year was to get a live tree this Christmas to help support local, small business owners instead of The Man who imports trees made in China. The Man being nationwide franchises like Walmart, Target, Kmart, etc. You get the picture.
The plan was: Buy tall-ish live tree outside the Walmart on Nolensville, buy lights from inside Walmart, and head home to make an event out of tree decorating. We were even planning on getting more decorations since the ones we had were barely enough to cover our five-foot tall Kmart-bought plastic tree with built-in lights.
That was the plan.
So after Christmas 2010, our faithful little two-year old Chinese tree was returned to its box for good — taped up, and then brought to a drive-thru Goodwill Drop Off.
And then life happened this year. Hospital trips both emergency and elective came along with the loss of my part-time job, and we’ve been pinching pennies and making budget cuts since the end of August.
While I was at our organization’s Winter Conference, Kyera sent me a text message:
“Where’s our tree? I was going to put it up but it’s not in our storage.”
“Are you sure? Did we donate it? I can’t remember.”
“Oh right! LOL. We did!”
Up until yesterday, I kept thinking about getting a tree. Definitely not a live one because they’re expensive, but a Chinese one bought from The Man. A five-foot tall tree is $80 now, fifty percent off, at Target, but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on a tree when that money could and should go to groceries. When your priorities are down to food, clothing, shelter, and medical bills, there’s absolutely no room for “Christmas Tree” in the budget. Or clothing for that matter. Food and shelter is far more important. And paying medical bills.
I thought Kyera and I would not make it out of 2010. Little did I know that 2011 would take the cake! It’s been a medically dramatic year for us both. Medical Issues always come with their twin, Medical Bills, but I’m thankful that we work for an organization that provides insurance.
Thank you, 2011, for your ups and downs, so far:
It only makes sense that I start my list with my hospital stay on my birthday! Kyera and I were in Orlando for Every Nation’s 2011 North American Conference, Dream, at Disney World when I landed in the ER with severe stomach pain. Our human resources director, Carolyn Foster, was my nurse/nanny/confidant/cheerleader for three days, giving up her time with her family, and missing out on almost all of the conference sessions because of me and my diverticulitis. Everyone needs a Carolyn in their life.
