I am a big fan of the TV Show Friends.  I have watched all ten seasons over and over again.  So much so that I can usually have at least a one-liner Friends reference in everyday life. Which brings me to “Cups and Ice.”  Did you ever see the episode of Friends were Monica and Phoebe were planning a surprise birthday party for Rachel?  In this episode, what started as Monica and Phoebe co-hosting and co-planning an intimate dinner party ended up being Monica planning an elaborate party where she had a binder full of details that put herself in charge of everything like Tuscan finger foods along with an alphabetized music list that corresponded with the food. So that means there were only two details were left to be planned, cups and ice.

This meant that Phoebe was only in charge of cups and ice. At first, cups and ice seemed to be irrelevant details.  But then inspiration came upon her, and these small, immaterial items became momentous.  When the party finally began, most of the guests were more excited about the hundreds of cups, the different sizes, the different colors, and of course the cup décor. Then in the ice department, there were three offerings of ice; cubed, crushed, and dry.  And of course, there was also shaved ice for the snow cones that came along with the fun snow cone machine with multiple snow cone syrups to thrill everyone’s taste buds.  The party-goers were so distracted by the cups and ice, and the kid-like snow cones thrilling these twenty-something year-olds, no one was interested in the elaborate food planned by Monica.  The cups and ice, although originally a small detail, became a scene-stealer in true Phoebe fashion.

I know this sounds silly, but I like to carry the cups and ice philosophy into my life.  Currently, I am in a musical theater production of Footloose.  I must say, I enjoy being on stage and musical theater is such a treat.  The funny thing is, I am not exactly known for being a singer.  Being in musical theater, it is kind of a given that the actors should have a decent vocal range.  So, it makes it ironic for me to want to have a part in a musical theater production who is a “non-singer.”  But hey, its Footloose!  Who doesn’t want to kick off their Sunday shoes and have a part in Footloose. Since I am not known for my chops, but what I am known for is personality and dance.  So yes, I am proud to say, that I have a small, non-speaking, non-singing role in Footloose as a featured dancer.  I will be in eight scenes and will dance in quite a few songs within the entire production. I think it is so cool not only to have this great opportunity and experience, but because you can play that Where’s Waldo game, except it’s Where’s Jessica.

And I think that is awesome.  I will have the biggest smile, the best reactions which I will be hamming it up, and I will be dancing my butt off.  I will bring my cups and ice.

Take each part you have in life, whether small or large, and make it your cups and ice.  Please excuse me.  I am going to eat my snow cone now!

 

Jessica Meyer

Positively Jessica

 

I invite you to visit my YouTube channel Positively Jessica where you can learn about me enjoying life and my new “vlog the blog” series to see more about my blog creation and behind the scenes of this article. https://youtu.be/zODKR3gnrzA Enjoy!

 

 All images courtesy of Jessica Meyer.