Tonight as I headed down to 10 on the Park for my alumni donor reception in my "business attire," I wondered why it is I go to these events BC lures me back into my college bubble with.
Most likely it was my mother saying on the phone moments before I braced the bitter cold, "ooh alright, go have fun, and maybe you'll find yourself a rich BC guy while you're there," that caused me to worry the reason I go is subconsciously to try and reconnect with the illustrious Peter whenever I immerse myself in New York's network of eagle post-grads. Did I mention three Decembers ago that he was making 6 figures when I met him in his mid twenties, me a mere 19? Cause he was.
But I realized, as I sat listening to the board members, who before encouraging us to partake in the open bar were ultimately asking us graduates for more money and our life long commitment ever to excel, that I go for the moments when I get chills - listening to the stories of BC grads whose lives were changed by their educations, whose hard work paid off, and whose contributions to their alma mater were paid forward and have led to more greatness than they ever could have imagined.
I go to see old friends. And I go to see what new opportunities may present themselves as I mingle amongst the Manhattanites I knew on the Heights.
AND... voila.... what do you know? I go open to serendipitous circumstances, three of which I wound up in this evening: 1. running into a girl I was asked to audition for a Yoplait Yogurt spot with last night upon the conclusion of my commercial acting class, 2. learning that an acquaintance of mine is sitting on a premise for a rom com that is just begging to be penned by me and my writing partner and 3. seeing a former UCB classmate of mine in passing on my way to the 1 train, having him offer to tie my shoes and knowing that he's one of the bright lights I'll be graduating to LA with in the year ahead....
I go because I count myself lucky to be amongst those called to be men & women for others. And cause I may only give $5 - $25 every time a current student calls from the alumni relations office to request a donation, but I've got a lot to give.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
LA v NY: Part I
L.A. gets in your pores. New York gets in your blood.
You feel L.A. like that perfect first booster shot worth of sun that warms you all over one random day in mid March or on the afternoon of an ideally temperate marathon Monday and you crave it thereafter...summer can't come soon enough.
Whereas New York starts flowing through you like a drug you are convinced you simply cannot live without staying connected to, invested in, driven by, or pulsed through.
So there's that.
Each has this totally tactile existence. And L.A.'s is shallower for sure - skin deep. While New York's you swear you feel in the depths of your gut if not literally coursing through your veins.
But there's reason to really let yourself get wrapped up or swept away in/by/with both.
Here is from the BFF, ichatted to me last week while I was on the west coast:
http://thoughtcatalog.com/
You feel L.A. like that perfect first booster shot worth of sun that warms you all over one random day in mid March or on the afternoon of an ideally temperate marathon Monday and you crave it thereafter...summer can't come soon enough.
Whereas New York starts flowing through you like a drug you are convinced you simply cannot live without staying connected to, invested in, driven by, or pulsed through.
So there's that.
Each has this totally tactile existence. And L.A.'s is shallower for sure - skin deep. While New York's you swear you feel in the depths of your gut if not literally coursing through your veins.
But there's reason to really let yourself get wrapped up or swept away in/by/with both.
Here is from the BFF, ichatted to me last week while I was on the west coast:
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Sassy Starts, San Francisco & Church of Saint Paul,
the Apostle.
2013 is here folks. Friends. (Mom, Mary, Mower, and the other 9 of you who regularly peruse these posts).
oh heyyyy, to the 83 or so readers who also happened upon this one. I got myself a multiplyin' audience. according to google's numbers anyway,
ANYWAY, I went to church today at St. Paul, the Apostle's. Where I've gone the past few weeks now because they've got a 5:15 I catch (most of) on my way to Magnet Musical Improv Level 3 (don't miss my shows Saturday nights in February!!!!!), and St. P's is a good interim parish. I did my two years going to Jazz Mass multiple times per month like I said I would early in 2011 and then I noticed I stopped making much mention of my church going until I literally posted about going to the chapel last Summer.
But then tonight's homily was all about TRANSFORMATIONS. And I decided it needed to be acknowledged. Because when in early 2011 I was on the way to beginning my transformation I was all church talk, and now here I am again two years later talking big changes and leaps and bounds and dreams being brought to life, so it stands to reason that I should clue peeps in (however non evangelically as I possibly can) as to how one of the things I got goin for me is this weekly visit I make to la chiesa closest to wherever I happen to be any given Sunday.
And mang, it's a helpful constant.
In fact, amen. Not just and mang.
So yes - first scatter brained post of this otherwise highly focused new year, and my words of wisdom for the blogosphere are nothing other than my notes that 2013 is off to a sassy start thanks to my San Franciscan jaunt this past Wednesday - Friday and my search for a new home church closer to my new place on 97th being serendipitously still going.
2013 is here folks. Friends. (Mom, Mary, Mower, and the other 9 of you who regularly peruse these posts).
oh heyyyy, to the 83 or so readers who also happened upon this one. I got myself a multiplyin' audience. according to google's numbers anyway,
ANYWAY, I went to church today at St. Paul, the Apostle's. Where I've gone the past few weeks now because they've got a 5:15 I catch (most of) on my way to Magnet Musical Improv Level 3 (don't miss my shows Saturday nights in February!!!!!), and St. P's is a good interim parish. I did my two years going to Jazz Mass multiple times per month like I said I would early in 2011 and then I noticed I stopped making much mention of my church going until I literally posted about going to the chapel last Summer.
But then tonight's homily was all about TRANSFORMATIONS. And I decided it needed to be acknowledged. Because when in early 2011 I was on the way to beginning my transformation I was all church talk, and now here I am again two years later talking big changes and leaps and bounds and dreams being brought to life, so it stands to reason that I should clue peeps in (however non evangelically as I possibly can) as to how one of the things I got goin for me is this weekly visit I make to la chiesa closest to wherever I happen to be any given Sunday.
And mang, it's a helpful constant.
In fact, amen. Not just and mang.
So yes - first scatter brained post of this otherwise highly focused new year, and my words of wisdom for the blogosphere are nothing other than my notes that 2013 is off to a sassy start thanks to my San Franciscan jaunt this past Wednesday - Friday and my search for a new home church closer to my new place on 97th being serendipitously still going.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Blame it all on my roots, there's piss on my boots
Fair warning about the potty humor here...literally.
A couple days ago I heard my mother talking to one of the many fans she has who have phoned to check in on her throughout her recover, and she called the week we were having "a comedy of errors."
At the time I thought she was just over dramatizing the situation as all that had gone wrong at that point was our pump in the basement temporarily backfiring as the result of a dead battery...but I had quickly fixed that conundrum with the help of my dad by phone: I switched it so the pump would be running off of adapter and not its battery (which had died)'s power.
Then two nights ago - the Christmas tree toppled over and three of the five of us kids were left sweeping up broken ornaments, re-stringing lights, and screwing the darn tree back into its stand.
And that was funny. Especially since my poor mum had to lie there helpless as we worked on the repair effort, unable to even see the tree she so loves to look upon and talk about ala the character in this bit:
But last night we learned that comedy (not cash interestingly enough) is ultimately king. And the all important rule of 3 was reinforced right in front of my face when the toilet bowl overflowed. With a vengence. Only full of pee water - it's the time of year to be grateful for all sorts of things - but so full none the less, that the bathroom floor was awash and I wound up with piss on my boots, because I didn't think as fast as my sorellina who didn't come into the bathroom with bleach and mop in hand until she'd covered her feetsies with plastic bags.
Did I mention she is a nursing major at BC with a 3.9 gpa?
A couple days ago I heard my mother talking to one of the many fans she has who have phoned to check in on her throughout her recover, and she called the week we were having "a comedy of errors."
At the time I thought she was just over dramatizing the situation as all that had gone wrong at that point was our pump in the basement temporarily backfiring as the result of a dead battery...but I had quickly fixed that conundrum with the help of my dad by phone: I switched it so the pump would be running off of adapter and not its battery (which had died)'s power.
Then two nights ago - the Christmas tree toppled over and three of the five of us kids were left sweeping up broken ornaments, re-stringing lights, and screwing the darn tree back into its stand.
And that was funny. Especially since my poor mum had to lie there helpless as we worked on the repair effort, unable to even see the tree she so loves to look upon and talk about ala the character in this bit:
But last night we learned that comedy (not cash interestingly enough) is ultimately king. And the all important rule of 3 was reinforced right in front of my face when the toilet bowl overflowed. With a vengence. Only full of pee water - it's the time of year to be grateful for all sorts of things - but so full none the less, that the bathroom floor was awash and I wound up with piss on my boots, because I didn't think as fast as my sorellina who didn't come into the bathroom with bleach and mop in hand until she'd covered her feetsies with plastic bags.
Did I mention she is a nursing major at BC with a 3.9 gpa?
Thursday, December 20, 2012
10 to Go
10 posts to get up here in the next 10 days!
Here's a cheat borrowed from a chirp (inspired by Elizabeth Banks' aka Effie Trinket):
Here's a cheat borrowed from a chirp (inspired by Elizabeth Banks' aka Effie Trinket):
On having vs not having
specifically: 5 kids vs no more than 4
I am pretty obsessed with my sibs (obv). I thank the Big Guy & my rents every day for the Naugler 5 and wouldn't trade having two brothers and two sisters for anything in the whole wide World.
But I've often had friends fantasize about having a big family or acquaintances ask whether I'd recommend they go for more when they've already got 3 kids or 4, so today I thought I'd post some of the wisdom I've shared with friends and random people alike on family size in general over the years.
First - without a doubt, 2 kids is THE most manageable amount of offspring to have. one per parent at any given time. plenty of resources, time, energy and love to go around. plus the little ones learn to share (sort of).
Second - if you have 3 kids, you're golden because you never have to upgrade from a sedan or small SUV to a car with a second back seat. there's ample room for backpacks and sports equipment w/out needing the extra space afforded to you in a godforsaken minivan. plus your kids get the practice of being friends with two distinctly different individuals which is clutch. true you get a middle child, who's bound to have a middle child complex, but you're at least contributing conceivably well adjusted individuals to the world.
Third - if you go for 4 kids, the good news is, between you and your partner you can hold all four of their hands when crossing the street. this i deem a verrrrry important aspect of the child rearing process. and maybe it's just me, but i think it's also an important symbol of attention division - if each kid gets one parents' hand it's fair to assume each kid is getting an equal amount of attention, love, and energy throughout their childhoods.
Fourth - 5 kids... 5 is the real deal, guys. THE REAL DEAL. 5 is a special force division, a basketball team, a LITERAL HANDFUL. There are 5 kids in The Family Stone, and Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson did a damn good job with that fictitious brood. I think mama and papa naugs really knocked it out of the park with the 5 Naugleberry knuckleheads in real life too, so it's not that it can't be done well, it's just that the decision to have 5 kids reeeally deserves SERIOUS contemplation and reflection ahead of time...
Fifth - same thing with 6 kids. Calls for a SRS (I think that's how the kids are shortening serious these days) amount of pre-meditation. Cause 6 must merit the lable of a gaggle right? a flock? a herd?
Really, more than four is no man's land and anyone's game. more than ten, obviously, forget about it... you run out of fingers to count them off on. that's a crazy undertaking - just simply not for the faint of heart.
But who am I kidding? Having ANY kids is not for the faint of heart.
-- I'll give a simple nod in this split second to the only children and babymomma / babydaddies of only children out there now because that's quite the undertaking in its own right - you are responsible for successfully socializing that little one who's flying solo. So g'luck with that.
Back to bringing any amount of babies into the world... it's got to be easily the craziest career choice out there and nearly EVERYONE's inclined to do it.
But if I have learned anything in this week of "caretaking" in Newton, it's that ANY number of dependents is significant. So you really just gotta know your limits, cast your lot and then play the game to the best of your ability.
It's kind of like that old Hasbro toy Kitty Surprise (a Christmas favorite in '93)
I had the "breed" of cat below back in the day.
...and she had a litter of 4 (exactly what I'd been wishing for as an 8 year old) so I named them Alexandra Marie, Marie Alexandra, and then two boys names in the same back to back just reversed ordered... Charles something? Something Charles was it? needless to say, I have come to realize I could never handle having 4 kids. I should have figured that out in fourth grade when I couldn't even come up with 4 distinctly different names for my kitten surprises.
I am pretty obsessed with my sibs (obv). I thank the Big Guy & my rents every day for the Naugler 5 and wouldn't trade having two brothers and two sisters for anything in the whole wide World.
But I've often had friends fantasize about having a big family or acquaintances ask whether I'd recommend they go for more when they've already got 3 kids or 4, so today I thought I'd post some of the wisdom I've shared with friends and random people alike on family size in general over the years.
First - without a doubt, 2 kids is THE most manageable amount of offspring to have. one per parent at any given time. plenty of resources, time, energy and love to go around. plus the little ones learn to share (sort of).
Second - if you have 3 kids, you're golden because you never have to upgrade from a sedan or small SUV to a car with a second back seat. there's ample room for backpacks and sports equipment w/out needing the extra space afforded to you in a godforsaken minivan. plus your kids get the practice of being friends with two distinctly different individuals which is clutch. true you get a middle child, who's bound to have a middle child complex, but you're at least contributing conceivably well adjusted individuals to the world.
Third - if you go for 4 kids, the good news is, between you and your partner you can hold all four of their hands when crossing the street. this i deem a verrrrry important aspect of the child rearing process. and maybe it's just me, but i think it's also an important symbol of attention division - if each kid gets one parents' hand it's fair to assume each kid is getting an equal amount of attention, love, and energy throughout their childhoods.
Fourth - 5 kids... 5 is the real deal, guys. THE REAL DEAL. 5 is a special force division, a basketball team, a LITERAL HANDFUL. There are 5 kids in The Family Stone, and Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson did a damn good job with that fictitious brood. I think mama and papa naugs really knocked it out of the park with the 5 Naugleberry knuckleheads in real life too, so it's not that it can't be done well, it's just that the decision to have 5 kids reeeally deserves SERIOUS contemplation and reflection ahead of time...
Fifth - same thing with 6 kids. Calls for a SRS (I think that's how the kids are shortening serious these days) amount of pre-meditation. Cause 6 must merit the lable of a gaggle right? a flock? a herd?
Really, more than four is no man's land and anyone's game. more than ten, obviously, forget about it... you run out of fingers to count them off on. that's a crazy undertaking - just simply not for the faint of heart.
But who am I kidding? Having ANY kids is not for the faint of heart.
-- I'll give a simple nod in this split second to the only children and babymomma / babydaddies of only children out there now because that's quite the undertaking in its own right - you are responsible for successfully socializing that little one who's flying solo. So g'luck with that.
Back to bringing any amount of babies into the world... it's got to be easily the craziest career choice out there and nearly EVERYONE's inclined to do it.
But if I have learned anything in this week of "caretaking" in Newton, it's that ANY number of dependents is significant. So you really just gotta know your limits, cast your lot and then play the game to the best of your ability.
It's kind of like that old Hasbro toy Kitty Surprise (a Christmas favorite in '93)
I had the "breed" of cat below back in the day.
...and she had a litter of 4 (exactly what I'd been wishing for as an 8 year old) so I named them Alexandra Marie, Marie Alexandra, and then two boys names in the same back to back just reversed ordered... Charles something? Something Charles was it? needless to say, I have come to realize I could never handle having 4 kids. I should have figured that out in fourth grade when I couldn't even come up with 4 distinctly different names for my kitten surprises.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Schooled
10 Things I've learned while my mother's had to lie on the couch in one position for the past four days and I've been (for all intents and purposes) babysitting for her....
1. if you get a funny feeling the tree looks like it's going to fall over....it's going to fall over
2. if you put Mario Lopez and Melissa Joan Hart in a Hallmark Christmas movie together....you get an instant classic
3. if she hadn't heard a contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" say she had "a height thing" my mother may have been more worried that I was my own worst bachelorettenemy
4. if Nanny Janny says she has the same jacket I complement her on in gray and she'll bring it to me tomorrow what she means is she's glad I like the one she was wearing:
which is warm and modern and plum colored and just my size, but she wouldn't mind giving me this one:
5. it's official, 28 is synonymous with adulthood.
6. if my mother was Melissa Joan Hart in "Holiday in Handcuffs," she'd kiss A.C. Slater
7. Annie Camden on the TV show ruined my mother's life by having those damn twins because she'd already had her tubes tied
8. i am notsogood at hiding the glass pickle
9. i had my furry gray jacket from nanny hanging over the chair in the den my mother is supposed to sit in awkwardly when she needs a break from being horizontal over the course of these ten days and it scared the s*** out of her when she walked into the dark den just now
10. my sorellina is destined to date this boy Johnny McSomethingIrishSounding she knows at BC right now
1. if you get a funny feeling the tree looks like it's going to fall over....it's going to fall over
2. if you put Mario Lopez and Melissa Joan Hart in a Hallmark Christmas movie together....you get an instant classic
3. if she hadn't heard a contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" say she had "a height thing" my mother may have been more worried that I was my own worst bachelorettenemy
4. if Nanny Janny says she has the same jacket I complement her on in gray and she'll bring it to me tomorrow what she means is she's glad I like the one she was wearing:
which is warm and modern and plum colored and just my size, but she wouldn't mind giving me this one:
5. it's official, 28 is synonymous with adulthood.
6. if my mother was Melissa Joan Hart in "Holiday in Handcuffs," she'd kiss A.C. Slater
7. Annie Camden on the TV show ruined my mother's life by having those damn twins because she'd already had her tubes tied
8. i am notsogood at hiding the glass pickle
9. i had my furry gray jacket from nanny hanging over the chair in the den my mother is supposed to sit in awkwardly when she needs a break from being horizontal over the course of these ten days and it scared the s*** out of her when she walked into the dark den just now
10. my sorellina is destined to date this boy Johnny McSomethingIrishSounding she knows at BC right now
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