High School....

This post is being inspired by, of course, an episode of Sex and the City.  No I'm not trying to be Carrie Bradshaw, nor am I trying to be the next sex blogger.  Although, that would be cool.  Just not original.

In this episode, Carrie is having dinner/dating her high school love.

This got me thinking about my high school experience.  Hearing Carrie and the gals talk about how much they loved high school and how it was IT.  Like IT IT!

Now, I look back, and to me, high school was NOT it.  I had a few friends.  Most of them girls because the guys made fun of me for not playing ANY sports.  There were times when I was bullied, made fun of, called fag, simply because I did plays at the New Castle Playhouse and did not associate with the cool guys.  We did not have a lot of money so I didn't get to have all of the cool clothes - whatever.

Watching Carrie, I got to thinkin', I feel kind of jipped out of a really good high school experience.  I mean, I had friends, I had clubs, I was a good student, but I did not fit in.

Does any one really fit in?

When I went to college - I was incredibly popular, well liked, and even guys from high school that went to my college would start talking to me.  I could not believe it.  So my college experience was incredible.  High school experience, not so much.

Why are we all so quick to be judgmental and mean in high school?  Is it because we are not fully developed into adulthood and lack the understanding of what it means to really treat someone?

When I hear about high school students mistreating other students because they are feminine, nerdy, poor, lanky, un-cool, or whatever.  It breaks my heart.  This is why the high school suicide rate is so high.

So, lets teach our high school friends and family to be kind because on 10 years, you have no idea who those people will become and what place they will have in your life.

Modern Miracles....

I'm going to be very honest with you.


I have some issues with what is written in the bible.


Now, don't get me wrong, I believe in it.  Don't feel the need to conduct crazy prayer services on my behalf or initiate an intervention to save my soul or anything - I just have some issues with things that are said, and I have a lot (A LOT) of questions.


For example:  Do I REALLY believe that ONE man build a massive ark and filled it with a male and female of every animal?   Jury's still out on this one.


Do I REALLY think that a human being made a walking path down the middle of a huge sea?  I'm skeptical.


Do I REALLY believe that Seth in Genesis lived to be 912?  Or that Noah lived to be 950? A littler hard to believe since there is no written proof post-Bible that people have lived past 100 some years old.  All history books and records from the 17th century, 18th century, etc have shown that people live to be 100 and something.  So it was just in the bible that these people are living to almost 1000.  HOLY MOLY!


Now, I'm not knocking the bible.  I'm not.


I'm just expressing where I find 'issues' in the bible - specifically the old testament.


Now - this video was brought to my attention.  About a young boy that was caught in a riptide and was under water for twenty minutes.  He was found not breathing and brought to the hospital.  He was expected to be dead when they found a weak heartbeat.  His doctors told the family to expect for the worst.  Against all odds, this boy survived.  


You can watch the video here.  


This is what I call a Modern Miracle.  


If I can believe this can happen, why can't I accept the fact that a man built an ark.  


Stay tuned.  :)

Tradition.

Over the course of my recent trip home, I thought a lot about tradition and what tradition means for me and what it means to everyone else and of course, the importance of tradition.

After many months In New York City without a break, it tends to run someone into the ground. This is what happened with me. Non-stop since Christmas, and finally, early June, I was able to visit my family. Let the traditions commence.

I have always been a tradition man.
New Years Eve New York style – all my life.
Bratwurst and Sauerkraut on New Years Day.
Easter baskets on Easter Sunday.
Carving pumpkins with family.
And of course Thanksgiving , and my favorite, the Christmas traditions that consist of decorating my front porch and putting up my tree with my mom and brother. Memorial day picnics. Forth of July on Dewey Avenue. All perfect moments!

There are other traditions that we follow – and one of them I experienced last weekend as well – attending church.

St. Vitus is a huge church with a gigantic mural behind the alter. There are all the stories of the bible on this wall. The birth of Christ. The resurrection. His first miracle. His death. Do we attend church because it is in our hearts or do we attend it because it is tradition? Do we believe in the stories of the bible, deeply and whole-heartedly, or do we believe them because it was tradition for our family to teach them to us? Think about it.

What if these traditional beliefs were never passed on to us? What would we be like? Where would we be?

Sure, I like to think that I am not conventional, but yet still traditional. Can these two things co-exist? I think so. Why are we all so obsessed with keeping traditional values the same? Don’t misunderstand me – I am all for tradition, but sometimes the most amazing moments are the ones that go against the traditional traditions. I like to think that I will reinvent tradition with moments in my life. For example, I don’t think I’ll want to get married in a church. Why should I? Because that’s how everyone I know got married? Two of my best friends were married outside in a gazebo, nowhere near a church. These non-traditional weddings were my two favorites. When I am able to get married – I will keep the tradition alive, but I want to make it in my own way. On a beach in linen pants with my shirt off (when I get abs!) with about 20 members of my family there.

We are all free to invent our own lives. Play by our own rules. Create and mold our own traditions. End traditions to create new ones with new people. We are free to let traditions carry on from generation to generation – and hopefully, leave a little bit of us in each one.

Power of Prayer

I'm not exactly sure what prompted a blog on prayer. Sure, I pray, and I feel good praying, but tonight I read an older blog of mine and in the blog it talks about all of the things that we should do in life and one of the pieces of advice was:
Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.

So I was thinking about prayer and what it means to me. My mom and Ryan babysit this beautiful baby named Tyler, and my mom is teaching Tyler the sign of the cross. Tonight I was thinking about coming home and teaching Tyler a prayer - I imagined he and I kneeling at the bed and me teaching him Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep because it was the first prayer that my mom and dad taught me. I havent said this prayer in years. I actually had to look up what the actual words were:

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
if I die before I wake,
I pray for Lord my soul to take.

Is it just me or is this depressing? This is a classic children's prayer from the 1700s, and tonight i realized how depressing it is to teach a 3 year old that if i dont make it through the night, may the lord take my soul. This is something that I might say now - but this is all besides the point.

I said that prayer every night - and it became tradition - which is why I want to teach it to a child in my life.

Another prayer that was tradition:

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God's love entrusts me here,
ever this day, be at my side
to light and guard, to rule and guide.

That was an aunt anna prayer -

Ok, Jeff, whats the point?

My point is, is that prayer knows no boundaries. Prayers can be as long, or as short as you want. They can be something that helps you fall asleep - they can help you wake up - they can, for me, provide you comfort. I remember when my great nonnon passed away - I prayed for a few things - I prayed that she would greet my Uncle Carmen and let him know that we all love him and miss him everyday. I prayed that my aunts and uncles would all be safe and would be alright until I got there to hug everyone. Prayer for me provides a sense of comfort. Like, someone IS listening even when no one else is.

Do you pray?
What do you pray for?
What do you do when your prayers go unanswered?

If there is immeasurable power in prayer, why do we see so much bad? I dont know. But, it's ok that i dont know. I'm OK not knowing the answer - all I know is that I will pray. I will pray that my loved ones are protected. I will pray for mine and their health - I will pray and believe in the power of prayer until I am no more. with all of this said, I dont consider myself a VERY religious person. I have beliefs - some most won't agree with it - but I don't think you have to be a religious person to pray. So, if you're reading this and you havent prayed for a month or more - I challenge you say a quick prayer tonight and see how you feel!

Good night.

Tony Winner Predictions

Here are my predictions...what are yours?

Tony Award Pool 2011


Best Play
War Horse

Best Musical
The Book of Mormon

Best Revival of a Play
The Normal Heart

Best Revival of a Musical
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Best Book of a Musical
The Book of Mormon - Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics)
The Book of Mormon - Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Joe Mantello - The Normal Heart

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Nina Arianda - Born Yesterday

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Josh Gad - The Book of Mormon

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster - Anything Goes

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
John Benjamin Hickey - The Normal Heart

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Ellen Barkin - The Normal Heart

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Rory O'Malley - The Book of Mormon

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Best Direction of a Play
Anna D. Shapiro - The Motherf**ker with the Hat

Best Direction of a Musical
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker - The Book of Mormon

Best Choreography
Kathleen Marshall - Anything Goes

Best Orchestrations
Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank - Catch Me If You Can

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Ultz - Jerusalem

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Donyale Werle - Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Best Costume Design of a Play
Desmond Heeley - The Importance of Being Earnest

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner - Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Mimi Jordan Sherin - Jerusalem

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Brian MacDevitt - The Book of Mormon

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners & Cricket S. Myers - Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Brian Ronan - The Book of Mormon

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150437-2011-Tony-Nominations-Announced-Book-of-Mormon-Earns-14-Nominations

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

Memorize your favorite poem.

Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

When you say, "I love you", mean it.

When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.

Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

Believe in love at first sight.

Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

Don't judge people by their relatives.

Talk slowly but think quickly.

When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

Call your mom.

Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.

Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

Spend some time alone.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Read more books and watch less TV.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.

Trust in God but lock your car.

A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil, harmonious home.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

Read between the lines.

Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

Be gentle with the earth.

Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.

Never interrupt when you are being flattered.

Mind your own business.

Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.

Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.

Learn the rules then break some.

Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Remember that your character is your destiny.

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Happy Happy New Year

It's so funny, Life.

Every year, for the past, maybe 5 years, I've always gotten really emotional at the end of the year. It's not a sad kind of emotional - but rather a "we can accomplish anything, its going to be a good year, life is going to be great" kind of emotional.

A few things do this to me - First, it's the John Lennon song, Happy Christmas (War is Over), specifically the lyric:

Another year over. A new one just begun.

There is something satisfying about hearing that 'another year is over and a new one just begun.' Knowing that I am alive and well and growing is an incredibly satisfying feeling. A great way to end 2010 for me.

What was 2010?
Well, for me - 2010 was the year of growth and learning.
These are two things that should happen every year, and something we should all be open to. I feel like this year was a magical learning experience.

From taking a Page 121 show from New York to LA and back to New York, learning that our little play is being published in an anthology of plays, and my favorite experience had to have been my job. My whole goal with this whole theatre manger/aspiring producer thing is to know a lot about many things. So, I was an education intern at CSC, and with that internship, I became the Education Outreach Coordinator - these two opportunities led to me learning how to sharpen these skills. An opportunity presented itself to me at CSC when the GM needed some assistance in the GM Department. This led to a new position for me in which I became the General Management Assistant - Now to me, this was super cool. When I wasnt accepting to Brooklyn College, I had this "I'll show you" attitude. So, now, here I am, no MFA, and yet, I'm working on some of the greatest theatre that I've only dreamed of. Thanks CSC and JRJ for an incredible year - and looking forward to the months to come.

2010 also had some blah moments. It was the failure to another relationship - well, now, I take that back. Even though the relationship didn't work out - I learned a lot.
About what I want.
About love.
About what I didn't want.
About what I needed.
And about who I wanted.
Sometimes I still miss that relationship - aspects of it.
But in reality, I was so far from my true self when I was in that relationship. I wasn't the Jeff that I aspire to be.

I was pretty sad when that relationship ended - I think because I had the comfort of being in a relationship. I had a partner for apple picking, for carving pumpkins, for Thanksgiving, and for Christmas. All of these activities I love, I had someone, and now, this year - I carved a pumpkin on my own, I didnt pick apples, I didnt exchange with someone, and here I am on New Years Eve with no significant other. But ya know what? I had to experience all of that - because when I get to share these experiences with someone next year, I have a feeling that I'm going enjoy those experiences more than I ever have, because NOW I know what it's like to NOT have someone.

Also, I lost my beautiful Great Nonnon. This beautiful woman was 94, raised my grandmother and several other kids that are my wonderful great aunts and uncles. I think about them all the time - and feel so fortunate to have known her and to have been able to grow up knowing her. I feel honored and privileged to be able to say, i knew my great-grandmother. Rest in Peace Nonnon.

So, here I am. 10 hours left of 2010.

Another Year Over - A New One is about to begin. Make it a good one. Without any fear.

Good healthy. Best Wishes. And I hope all of your dreams come true! I am sending my wishes and love to my entire family and all of my friends. May 2011 bring you everything you wish for.

~JF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmnL6Du_x9U&feature=watch_response