Hello world it's me, Bailey Savage {Smith}. I find myself in a pivotal moment in my life and need to get by with a little help from my Friends (and my family and—of course— my fans).

For almost 2 years, I've been living the dream as a working actor, performing in 5-8 shows a week as a society member of Drunk Shakespeare and, most recently, Drunk Debates. Unfortunately, my career has hit a bit of a roadblock. I've recently been diagnosed with vocal nodes, which is a common condition among performers that affects their ability to speak and sing. This means that I am unable to perform for the next few months. Would you believe that I am not very good at vocal rest? I have be silent for 80% of my time and I'm feeling incredibly frustrated but I'd like to come out the other side with something to show for it! While this unexpected hiatus has presented challenges, I am trying to embrace this time as an opportunity for personal growth.

Obviously, as a performer, the pandemic hit my career trajectory pretty hard. Covid has both stunted and shaped my life as an artist, but I perserved! Then in July 2021, I was in a serious car crash (we hydroplaned on I-90). This moment in time shook me. I got stuck in a spiral thinking about death so I found myself a therapist who thinks I'm funny and calls me on my bullshit. I was working on getting myself to a better place when in April 2022, I was roped into an intense multi-day, multi-person all-the-right-phone numbers operation where they stole my identity and took my "life-savings." An amount I had worked to save up since I was 16 and had my first job as a magazine straightener (I replaced all of the old magazines in Winco/Walmart/Wallgreens and made all of the displays look beautiful, something I still have the compulsion to do today). Fun fact, I'm still missing $11,000 AND I still have an open FBI case! It took a toll on my trust in others and consumed significant time and energy to recover both financially and emotionally.

And the cherry on top, March 1st, 2023, I experienced an incredibly violent interaction with a group of people who truly hated me. I was sexually assaulted in Atlanta, Georgia, and when I fought back, I was attacked by a group of men that put me in a headlock, picked me up, beat me up, physically threw me out of the bar, threatend me with a gun, and told me that it was my fault while screaming things I can't forget. It left me severely questioning the worth of existence and I have been in a supernova ever since.

My New To Do List!

1. Learn how to Fight: I want to switch gyms from XSport to Chicago Fitness Center: a local gym where I can take self-defense, kickboxing, and karate classes. During my attack, I put up a good fight—oddly proud to say it took 4 men to take me down. And if I ever end up in a situation where I need to defend myself again, I'd like to increase my odds of winning.

2. Not take life *too seriously*: I need to go camping ASAP, or at least on a hike. Lake Michigan is nice but no match for the mountains of WA or UT. I'd like to join Free MVNT, a local (not actually free) studio that offers important classes like "Showstopper: Mamma Mia." I might as well get better at dancing if I can't sing! And I want to focus on healing my heart and body while writing node-based puns. I'm not past the point of NODE return yet!

3. *Develop* My Photography Skills: I've been trying to look at the world with a *different lens* and I've discovered that I might be a photographer?? I want to take the beginning photography class at the Art Institute of Chicago and to try and fail at taking film photos! I had 4 rolls of film developed but only 10 shots were correctly exposed and here's one of them:

So, I'm seeking to raise $999 to cover the expenses of Summer of Classes, rolls of film/development costs, and to put the "rest" in vocal rest! Your support means the world to me, and I am incredibly grateful for any assistance you can provide. I recognize this is a difficult time financially for all so emotional aid in the form of good memories, old photos, favorite songs, book recommendations, handwritten letters or emails, something that makes you laugh, general cheerfulness is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Thank you and sending good vibes to all of us for the rest of 2023.