25

Merry Christmas to all!

I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas with your families. I know I have.

Tuesday was the big day to fly home and it started early (7 am) in NYC and ended late (2 am) in Columbus. The day in between wasn't all that eventual since I spent most that day waiting on the standby list for any open spot on a fly into Columbus that day before I booked flight (6:30 pm). However, the time actually went by fairly quickly and I got to work on my big present for my mom. It's been a tough couple of months with me moving and my dad being out on the road with his new (now old) job. A few years back I started a tradition of buying a Nicholas Sparks book for her birthday and Christmas. So, as our current living situations have been an uneasy transitional period, I decided to read the last Nicholas Sparks book and write in it as I read it. This was anytime she read it she could feel like I was right there with her, instead of 10 hours away. Naturally, she cried and it was exactly what I was going for.

This Christmas has been pretty surreal for me. Coming home felt easier than I thought. Even as my brother drove me to our parents' house, it hadn't felt like I had been gone all that long--it actually felt like I had just made this drive within the last few days. Maybe home just never seems that far away for me? I can't deny that I have had the thought that I would like to move back, but then I remember that doing that would just be cheating myself out of what I want to do. But it is nice to know that coming home is as good as ever.

Over the last few months I've been talking about how I've working out and losing weight, but I hadn't weighed myself...only Wednesday morning. The official count of lbs. lost is a whopping 30! It was pretty nice to go through some old clothes--some I have never worn--put them on and realize they fit better than when I first bought them. So YEAH ME!

In other news, today is my birthday! That's right. The number in the title, that's my age. It doesn't feel all that bad, but then again age is just a number. Maybe 25 will be my lucky number... Stayed tuned to find out if that comes true.

Happy Adventures and Holidays!

I’ll be home for Christmas!

It’s so close I can almost taste it: the smell of the trees up in the living room, family room, and back porch; cookies and other goodies in the oven; my mom’s roast beef, meatballs, mashed potatoes (God, let there be mashed potatoes), and hor d’oeuvres of shrimp, cheese, and other delectable things.

Tomorrow is the day I board a jet plane and make my way back home for the holidays and the anticipation is killing me! Everywhere I go I am reminded of my family and of all the great things the holidays bring. The other day at work, a guest simply said “Merry Christmas” and I about burst out in tears because it made me so happy to hear those two words. Of course, part of it is the presents. Let’s face it, it’s the only time of the year I get presents, so I get just a tad bit more excited than most people for Christmas. However, more than anything, I am anxious to see my family, some that I only get to see during the holidays, and share in the traditions that we have come to enjoy for as long as we can all remember. There’s always something to look forward to because my family is so unpredictable. I have an uncle that has been known to spout out a few great one-liners over the years and they have made the holidays full of laughter. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with this year…

Sitting here in the kitchen, I’m contemplating how different it’s going to be back in Ohio: what’s actually different, how I’m different, etc. My whole definition of home is semi-in-limbo. Obviously, Ohio is where my family is and some say “Home is where they love you.” However, over the last four and a half months, I’ve felt very loved by the people I’m surrounded by. Still, others say “Home is where the heart is.” Without any doubt, this makes defining home even more difficult because I love New York and am so happy to be living here, but a part of me is still tightly tied to the comforts and ease of the Midwest. I’m actually scared to find out how I feel being home and not in the city. I’m scared I going to think I should move back to Ohio, but I know I can’t do that to myself just yet because I haven’t given an honest try at this whole big city life. It was difficult enough to leave my family and friends once, will it be just as difficult—or even more difficult—the second time around? All I know is that right now I want to see my family and friends, play with the dog, sit by the fire, admire the Winter Wonderland mantle my mom decorates every year, and listen to Christmas music while staring at the tree. Maybe home is a drug that I just need a little hit of to get over this bump in the road of withdrawal? We’ll see how I feel a week from now.

On the topic of home, I saw a very interesting movie last night: Up in the Air. The whole movie is basically about a guy that for better or worse doesn’t have a real home. He travels 300+ days out of the year and considers airports and airplanes his home. The days he isn’t traveling are miserable to him. His job is to fire people when their bosses don’t have the balls to do it themselves. He does motivational speaking engagements, as well, and doesn’t seem to have much communication with his family or even have any friends. It sounds depressing, but it’s actually pretty funny. George Clooney plays this guy without a home and he’s pretty freakin’ good in this movie. I never thought I would actually be a fan of the Clooney, but he’s grown on me over the years. His supporting cast consist of two ladies: a lover (Vera Farmiga of The Departed) and a new member of the company (Anna Kendrick of The Twilight Saga). Additionally, Jason Bateman appears as his boss. I haven’t really had the time to think about what I really feel about the movie, but my initial response has been very positive, as opposed to falling asleep during Invictus, in spite of my man-crush on Matt Damon. Either way, check out Up in the Air. I have a good feeling about this movie.

(Side note: it’s Awards Season, so expect A LOT more movie commentary to come.)

Happy Adventures and Merry Christmas!

All in the air...

Happy Monday everyone!

The official count stands at 11 days until Day-O-Presents 2009! I get really excited naturally because this is the only day out of the year that I get presents. Life can suck for some people. If any of you know how I can legally get my birthday changed to a mid-year date, let me know.

So, with the official count at 11 days, it is the Christmas season--and it is in full swing everywhere here in NYC. I haven't had a chance yet, but the tree is up and lit at Rockefeller Center. My original plan for the season was to get a good picture of myself in front of the tree and send that out as my first EVER Christmas card. As you can deduce, because you're all brilliant people, I haven't gotten around to that yet. Hopefully that'll happen in the next week or so... There's holiday music playing everywhere (even in the streets in my neighborhood, it's quite fantastical). There's a slight chill in the air, I can see my breath, nothing feels better than hot tea or cocoa, and there's oddly nothing more warm and fuzzy than that sensation you can get only at this time of year. People fill the streets with their bags of gifts bulging at all corners and when they bust, there is always someone there to help them get back on their way as quickly as possible.

It's kind of interesting to me to find that after a year that has been so full of arguing and hatred that for just a few weeks, it seems most people are a little nicer to each other, maybe a little more patient. But why wait till the end of the year to do this? Why not all year round? If I may be so bold--this may be breaking some kind of rule, but bear with me--I challenge all of you to make a constant effort during 2010 to be in the Christmas spirit the whole year. Now, of course, I can see how that may cheapen the actual season itself come this time next year, but still it seems the world is a better place when we have a little of that spirit in us. Try it. You don't have to get back to me on it, just see for yourself. "Be the change you see in the world." ~Ghandi

And on the topic of quotes, I came across this very interesting snippet from last week's episode of How I Met Your Mother:

Student #1: "Mr. Mosby, we're all scared."

Student #2: "Being scared let's you know you're on to something important."

Ted: "That's right! If you're not scared, then you're not taking a chance. And if you're not taking a chance, what the hell are you doing?"

This got me thinking like WHOA! I've gotten comfortable in my life in the last few months. Some may think that's a good thing, but I'm not scared anymore. Am I not taking chances, or am I just waiting to take those chances? This could mean so many things, and maybe I'm just writing them down here so I can look back later and think: "Oh! That's why I did that..." I don't what what "that" is right now, but I kind of have the feeling Tony has at the beginning of West Side Story when he sings "Something's Coming" (my favorite song to sing). Maybe it's about time I start taking some chances, in many ways. Maybe 2010 will be the year I begin the story I'll tell my kids about "how I met [their] mother". Maybe 2010 will be the year I get on a stage and make a name for myself. Maybe 2010 will be there year I...

Maybe I'll just save the rest of that for a later post...

So, here I sit with a hot cup of peppermint tea and I'm reminiscing on some of my previous posts, one in particular: "Who Are You?" Earlier in this post I asked about changing my birthday. Well, of course I don't mean that. It's kind of interesting how often birthdays come up in conversation and it just so turns out that I have a birthday that is quite the conversation starter. People either think being born on Christmas is awesome or awful. As most things do it has its pros and cons. However, it's one of those fun facts about me that I think make me and give me a little bit more personality. This whole idea got me thinking about whether there's actually anything I would change about myself. Physically, I would like to be in better condition, but that's in the works. Additionally, I do think the one thing I will spend some money on getting fixed once I have money would be my jaw line which jets out a bit because of my under-bite. Now, most people tell me they have never noticed it until I pointed it out, but I know it's there and it has bothered me for years. I would just prefer to have my bottom teeth sit behind my top teeth like they're suppose to. Is that so much to ask for? Maybe for Christmas Santa will bring me a hard punch to the lower jaw and I'll have to get it reset... (Santa, that is a joke, NOT a wish!)

Well, I've had a long day and have lots of things to do tomorrow, including some Christmas shopping, so I'm gonna call it a day. I hope you're all well and I hope to hear from you soon.

Happy Adventures!

Late-night-blogging

Happy Monday! (It may be Tuesday here, but it's still Monday on the time stamp of this blog...)

December is here! Christmas is so close I can barely taste it. I have bought ONE Christmas present and am thinking I already bought this person this gift before and have forgotten... That's such a weird feeling for me. I guess we'll see when the wrapping comes off the present in just 17 short days.

The last week hasn't included anything all that particularly exciting: just lots of work and not a whole lot else. My one day off consisted of working at another event. However, this was probably the high point of my week. The event was a recital for the winner of the Joy In Singing Competition, a tenor by the name of Paul Appleby. He's my age, but has the voice of seasoned professional. Seriously, I couldn't believe how precise his voice is, to say nothing of how spot on his interpretation of each word gave each phrase shape that told the story in such a profoundly moving way. I wish there were better words in the English language to describe the experience of hearing this guy sing. The reception afterward was full of people I didn't know, except Mr. Paul Sperry, Ethan's dad. Paul had Ethan contact me about this event and naturally I jumped at the chance to pour wine and see an incredible recital for free. I did meet some very interesting and active people in the singing world, maybe some good contacts when I finally get myself ready to go back out into the field... Either way, I want to pick Paul Appleby's mind about singing and music because I honestly feel like I learned so much by experiencing his recital. And to boot, he seems to be a very genuine guy--I didn't get a chance to meet him as he was bombarded by numerous patrons from the second he walked into the room to the moment he put his coat on and walked out. We'll see...

After that I did stop by work and got some dinner, then went out for my first ever La Mama margarita at Ariba Ariba with Al-Amaaanda. Holy crap! That was some damn good margarita. Naturally, there was fantastic conversation to be had, as well. **I do need to take a moment to mention my buddy Sean since I did get to spend an evening at his apartment eating sushi and pineapple while drinking and playing Kings. Thanks for a great night, Sean. We need to get back into the gym... **

Back to work today. It looks as though the work won't let up for a while. That's fine as long as I can buy some Christmas presents soon.

That's honestly all I got. Short for once. I hope you're all enjoying yourselves and maybe getting out with friends and family during this holiday season. Take care.

Happy Adventures!

It's a wonderful life

Happy Monday!

I hope this post finds you all happy, healthy, and satisfied after a wonderful Thanksgiving. As I sit here in my kitchen after one glass of wine to compliment an episode of Brothers & Sisters, I find myself content in every way. It's been nearly four months since I moved out here and somewhere I along the way I put together a life for myself. My initial feeling was that Thanksgiving was going to be incredibly difficult to go through this year not being at home with my family and doing all the normal things I usually find myself doing on that particular family-oriented day of the year. However, I found myself feeling thankful more than anything. Thankful that I am here. Thankful that I am healthy. Thankful for all the little things that make life worth living: fresh air, good food, good friends, memories, and hopes for the future.

My Thanksgiving seemed a little like it came straight out of a TV sitcom really. Not a single blood relative in the bunch, but it still felt like a gathering of family. Maybe, like I said last week, I just seem to find family wherever I am. My roommates and our guests found ways to make our lack of seating area work. We maneuvered our ways in and out of the kitchen in order to make sure everything was prepared in a timely manner that never got in the way of something having to go in or come out of the oven. We ate off Dixie plates and sat in the living room on a futon, an air chair, and various other sitting apparatuses we found in our apartment. Everyone was stuffed but still had enough room for pumpkin and apple pies. Nothing seemed to all go together, but somehow it all made for an incredibly memorable Thanksgiving.

Of course I was back at work on Friday, serving all the hungry shoppers that found their way to our restaurant among the hustle and bustle of Black Friday. Maybe it was the 9 servers that were working that day, but we didn't seem as busy as we should have been. Oh well, nothing can be done about it now. Thankfully, Missy and the fam made their way in and had lunch after doing some shopping all morning and came with tidings of great joy: they got orchestra seats to see Finian's Rainbow that night! If you've never heard of it, Finian's Rainbow is the story of an Irishman named Finian McLonergan (theatre veteran Jim Norton) that travels with his daughter Sharon (Kate Baldwin) to the fictional town of Missitucky (which apparently resides near Fort Knox). Finian has "borrowed" a pot of gold from a leprechaun named Og (Christopher Fitzgerald, Wicked's original Boq and Young Frankenstein's Igor). According to legend, if you bury gold in the shadow of Fort Knox it will multiply by exponential degrees. The little sharecropping town of Missitucky finds itself in financial squaller as it owes $115 in back taxes (this is the 40's people). The town's main-man Woody (Cheyenne Jackson) comes in to town with the money only to be told there's $65 in interest due as well. Sharon supplies the interest payment from her life savings and the town is virtually saved. Meanwhile, Og finds his way to Missitucky in search of his stolen pot of gold. Another legend tells that when a leprechaun is separated from his gold, he is slowly turned mortal. Thus, throughout the show, Og's suit gets smaller and smaller on him. There's a lot to it, including a Woody's mute sister that communicates through dance, but it was an incredibly enjoyable show. After all the rock and pop that is now on the Broadway stage, it was really nice to sit back and listen to a classic musical with a beautiful score, a fun story, and a cast full of standouts. Among those, Kate Baldwin and Christopher Fitzgerald are bound to be vying for some awards come next spring, especially the latter.

Saturday, work, work, work... (Cue song from Cinderella)

Sunday. Sunday. Sunday. Since it was Thanksgiving weekend, there were no kickball games so I had Sunday all to myself. Naturally, I decided to go see another show. Why not, right? So I got up at 7 am to get myself in line at the Schoenfeld Theatre box office to purchase a student rush ticket to see Wolverine and James Bond (read: Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig) on stage in Keith Huff's play A Steady Rain. Unfortunately, the box office didn't open until noon, so I went back home, got a bagel, and returned later. And not a minute too late. I got the LAST student ticket available for the performance. I am so glad I did. HOLY CRAP! This is a 90-minute two character play about two Chicago cops that have been best friends since "kindygarden". Throughout a series of monologues and some really well-played dialogue, these two recount the events of the previous summer. It all starts out all funny as Denny (Jackman) talks about becoming a Nielsen Ratings family and inviting Joey (Craig) to dinner to meet some women so he can finally settle down. Soon, things go a little awry and the two unfold a complex game that a cross between good cop/bad cop and a twisted whodunit. Overall, both actors leave their hearts on the stage that bears only two chairs. Sadly, the production is a strict limited engagement that ends this coming Sunday. Again, I am so glad I got to see this show before it closed.

Today, typcial Monday. Laundry, errands, lunch in Chinatown. Not a whole lot of excitement. However, my lunch with spent with the lovely Al-Amaaanda. Our conversations are always pretty interesting, but today I outlined for her the plot of the play I'm writing about my family. Suffice to say, she was very supportive and is going to hook me up with a friend of hers that is a published playwright. We'll see what happens with this. I also showed her my ideas for my stand-up act. It's not much, but I've got a rough sketch of some topics on which I want to give my own spin. I'll let you know how that goes.

Nothing else really big in other news. Just work and enjoying life. I hope to see a lot of you while I'm home in a few weeks. Let me know if you'll be in Columbus.

Happy Adventures!

Because I’m thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I don’t expect any of you to actually be reading this on Thanksgiving, but I thought it would be great to post this on the actual day. While we’re all sitting down to the most incredible meal of the year, I think it’s important to think back on what the last year has brought us and how our lives have suddenly changed, for better or worse. With this thought in mind, I bring to you my List of Things I’m Thankful For in 2009:

New Year’s of 2009 was spent in Boston with one of my very best friends Mollie and her husband Adam. Mollie is one of those friends that I’m thankful for from here to eternity. It’s a very interesting situation I find myself in with this young woman: we went to high school together but have spent the last 7+ years with at least 16 hours of distance between us. During those years, we never kept in touch to the point that we knew what the other was doing on even a semi-regular basis. We may have caught up over the holidays if she spent some time back in Ohio and I wasn’t on tour with Glee Club, but for the most part we didn’t play huge parts in each other’s day-to-day life. However, she asked me to sing at her wedding and naturally I accepted and found myself in a the beautiful Harvard Chapel singing “Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof and “There is Love (The Wedding Song)” by Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, & Mary. It was a whirlwind weekend in which I didn’t get to spend too much time with Mollie. In order to kind of make up for that time, I decided to visit her after I graduated from school and take in some Northeastern winter beautifulness. When I called Mollie to let her know I had purchased my plane ticket—the first time we had actually spoken in God-knows-how-long—she didn’t pick up the phone with, “Hey Nick!” but rather “You’ll never guess what’s on the radio right now!” Naturally, I knew the answer was “Happy Holidays” which she and I danced to in Chorale for two years; it’s kind of “our song”. For this and many other reasons I am thankful for not just Mollie, but all the friends I have that I don’t need to talk to everyday or even every week or month, but whenever we can and nothing can change. You all know who you are. Thank you all for your support over the last year—it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

After returning from Boston, and subsequently 10 days in NYC, I came back to Ohio and found gainful employment back at Max & Erma’s. Much like Mollie, I basically picked right back up with this group of people that I had only worked with for a handful of months several years ago. However, this is not about them. On several different occasions when I could get out of Max & Erma’s, I was able to make some trips to Lebanon, OH, and Hurricane, WV, where I have come to know and love two groups of students that are all incredibly talented, terribly funny, and ultimately the biggest factors in making the decision to move out here difficult. Here’s why: I showed up in Lebanon in the middle of October 2008 as a student teacher and left feeling as I was a member of a huge family in this community. In January 2009 I went to Hurricane with a choreographer friend of mine to see what this show choir was all about. My job was to watch, however, by the end of the rehearsal I was kind of calling the shots and telling them what was and wasn’t working. It felt exhilarating to have the attention of these kids and they ACTUALLY LISTEN! When I returned to Lebanon in March to emcee their show choir competition, I spent some time with their show choir and the same thing happened. It was incredible. I felt accomplished, intelligent, authoritative, and—not too sound egotistical, but—powerful. It was in these moments that I knew I had actually done well in school and could be a choir director like I had been trained. However, ultimately the dreamer inside me led me out here. But I would like to take this opportunity to thank those students for proving to me that I am better than I would let myself believe. Additionally, I can’t wait to see you all again in March at Lebanon’s Second Annual Show Choir Classic—as long as they’ll have back as emcee…

More than anyone in the world, I think my decision to come out here has hurt my mom. Not that she isn’t abundantly happy for me, but it happened all of a sudden and I don’t think she was quite prepared when it happened. In the time I’ve been here, I’ve spent several hours on the phone with not only my mom, but my brother, sister, and dad. My brother Andy recently went back to school and as such we have resumed our routine of him writing a paper and me proofreading it for him and giving him a few tips for the next paper which inevitably end up there. My sister Laura is currently finishing up her last few months of cosmetology school which is becoming heavily daunting as the days wane. However, I have noticed such a huge difference in her in the last few months. Without my knowing she has grown into this incredibly independent and intelligent woman that has job offers and opportunities for a career. There are days when I regret not being around to see this change actually happen, but I’m happy to know that it’s actually taking place. My dad has recently begun trucking and while it isn’t everything he always dreamed it would be, I can tell he’s trying to make the most of it and has some pretty great stories to tell—which, in the end, is the most important part. It’s the stories you remember, not how much a certain situation sucked. My life out here would be pretty pitiful if I felt my family wasn’t doing anything back home without me. I’m thankful they are part of my life and for their (sometimes) unflinching support. I’m so proud of my family and can’t wait to see them in a month. The next few weeks are going to be so unbearably painstaking as I await that magical afternoon when I get to leave on a jet plane and get home just in time for Christmas. Please let there be snow!

While I miss my family terribly, I can’t deny that I have found myself a family here in NYC. I feel incredibly fortunate to have come across my job and I am happy to say I love my job and the people I work with. They are my best friends and the ones I get up every morning for. If I didn’t have them around at a job that while I love it causes me much undo frustration because of difficult people, I would quit. So, ladies and gentlemen of the HB, thank you for being my NYC family!

Just now I came to the realization that no matter where I am I tend to find a family of sorts: Club at Miami, the community of Lebanon, HB in NYC, etc. For this Thanksgiving, since I won’t be home, in some ways home is actually coming to me. I’m very fortunate and happy to say that my friend Missy is currently in NYC to see her son march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with his high school marching band (a trip I made myself in high school with the same marching band). So, I guess I’m thankful for my many families!

And finally, thank you all for reading this. Here’s to the Happiest of Thanksgivings, the Merriest of Christmases, and all the best for a Fantastic New Year filled with nothing but Awesomeness!

Happy Adventures!

Shows, shows, shows!

Happy Tuesday! (Yep, I'm slacking again...)

Scout's honor, I have a great reason for slacking, but we'll get to that later.

So, it's been three and a half months since I moved here. It seems like it's been longer because I'm so comfortable with my life. I know what to expect on a daily basis and the things I don't expect don't seem that bad and I can handle them like a pro. Wow, I'm AWESOME! Anyways, in that time, I did get to see a few shows, but not all that frequently. The first show I saw was 9 to 5 at the beginning of September to celebrate my One-Month-iversary, then Altar Boyz, West Side Story, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. So, four shows in we'll say three months, that's pretty normal for a theatre person in New York. This past week, however, I got lucky with having A LOT of friends wanting to see shows. After God of Carnage on Monday, I saw Jude Law in Hamlet, the new musical Next to Normal, and the 80's rock musical Rock of Ages.

Here's my thoughts:

Thursday, November 12

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (you knew that, though...)

Starring Jude Law

In attendance: myself and Andrew (that Andrew that got me into my current living situation)

Ever since my few weeks of intense Shakespeare study in 7th grade, I've been fascinated by the Bard and got into reading his plays in my free time. There are still several I have not read (and as wikipedia has just taught me, several I've never even heard of: The Two Noble Kinsmen???). However, Hamlet has always been my absolute favorite. It's so much more than a tragic story of a Danish prince that's upset about his father's death and his mother's betrayal. It's a complex, psychological thriller. I've seen pretty much every single film version, thanks to my Shakespeare & Film class at Miami, but never a stage version. There's really nothing like hearing Billy Shakes words live with 1,000 other people. The production itself, transferred from London's Donmar Warehouse, is fairly minimalist in its sets: for the most part, the whole thing takes place with the same walls and two doors upstage center that open to reveal another brick wall and some brilliant lighting. There are several famous lines delivered in this plays, but it honestly felt like the first time I was hearing them. Jude Law is probably too old to be playing Hamlet, but he plays the role so freaking well and I can't wait to see him give a Tony acceptance speech. The man is brilliant with each line. You honestly feel like you're seeing the creation of psychosis on stage with each flick of his hand or snap of his head. Truly, the man embodies this character from head to toe and as deeply inside his soul as I've ever seen any actor embody a role. To be honest, the production doesn't need much set because they would be wasting there money since you can't keep your eyes of Jude as he weaves this tale. There are several moments when he directly addresses the audience and he draws several laughs even while we're all crying. I do want to say that the artistic direction of this show did a fantastic job accenting certain scenes with colors that showcase the emotion of that particular event. Even the presentation of color was often elaborate and dramatic. For example, when newly elected king Claudius is first introduced on stage, an enormous blue silk curtain drops heavily from the rafters and pounds the stage, then a red carpet rolls down the stage. For the famous bedroom scene where Hamlet confronts his mother about her flaws, a delicate, light yellowish beige, curtain drops to the front of the stage that ever so lightly veils the scene being played behind it. Later, it is torn from the ceiling to wrap a dead body. Just brilliantly executed. Honestly, if you're in NYC before December 6, get tickets to this show.

Friday, November 13

Next to Normal

Starring Tony Winner Alice Ripley, Tony Nominees J. Robert Spencer & Jennifer Damiano, and Tony Should-Have-Been-Nominee Aaron Tveit

In attendance: myself, KTD, and Emily

You know how sometimes you see something that you are sure you know, but you're still taken aback by everything? That is exactly how this show played out for me. Everything happened exactly as it has played out since I bought the cast recording back in the spring, but I was still in tears a number of times throughout the show. The basic plot concerns a mother with bipolar disorder and how her family deals with it. The mother (Diana) is played by Alice Ripley, who earns every bit of praise she has received for this role. Her condition is delicate and complicated, aggravating and disheartening, but overall uplifting. Her husband Dan is played by J. Robert Spencer, a man formally only knows her singing the bass line of each song in Jersey Boys, however shows off here that he can SING. He may not have the best voice in the world, but his compliments Alice's voice so precisely that it further proves the chemistry between the two. Dan spends most of the show being supportive and understanding, trying to hold his family together in the face of some pretty intense obstacles. Jennifer Damiano plays their teenage daughter Natalie. She meets a classmate named Henry and falls for him, he in turn introduces her to pot. Their relationship faces some pretty difficult tests, but somehow they always come back to each other--basically, because Henry is persistent and truly loves Natalie despite all her attempts to rid her life of him. Some of the most touching moments in the show concern Natalie and I admire this young actress for her commitment to each moment of her performance, which is probably what earned her that Tony nomination. Aaron Tveit has become something of a Broadway Next-Big-Thing since he plays Fiyero in Wicked a few years ago. He recently just came back to the cast after playing the Leonardo DiCaprio role in the world premiere of the new musical version of Catch Me If You Can in Seattle. Honestly, I was expecting to not really like this guy all that much, but I can't deny that his voice is pretty flawless. It actually makes me sick to hear how good he is. When I first heard the recording, I thought, "Well, they've definitely done some tweaking to this..." Turns out, not so much. He sounds just as good, if not better, live. I can't say too much about the plot without giving too much away that should be experienced in the theatre. I was so happy to have finally seen this show and I cannot wait to see it again and again and again...

Monday, November 16

Rock of Ages

Starring Constantine Maroulis (of American Idol fame), Tony Nominee Kerry Butler, and Tony Should-Have-Been Nominee Mitchell Jarvis

OK, so this wasn't the best show I've ever seen, but it was definitely the most fun I've ever had in a theatre. Maybe it was the beer we were served in our seats... Seriously, this was like going to a rock concert and I loved every minute of it. The production company completely takes over the Brooks Atkinson Theatre with huge billboards showcasing the many scenes of the Sunset Strip where the show takes place. As far as the performers go, the only true standouts were Mitchell Jarvis as Lonny the narrator of the show, and Tom Lenk as Franz, the spoiled son of a German developer out to level the strip and put up a strip mall. Honestly, I was pretty disappointed in Constantine any time he was "acting". As far as his singing, he did a great job. But damn, the guy probably couldn't act his way out of a speeding ticket. Mitchell Jarvis is like an in-shape Jack Black on crack...which I'm pretty sure is just normal Jack Black, let's be honest. Anywho, it's 80's rock, it's beer in a theatre, and it's loads of fun from beginning to end. They even provide souvenir lighters to wave during the moments when you wave a lighter. Check it out, kids!

This is where the slacking comes in. Yesterday was spent with my good friend Amanda. Today is her birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AL-AMAAANDA! Our day o' fun consisting of sushi for lunch (mmmm, sushi...), baking cookies, dinner at Chophouse, drinks, and Rock of Ages. After that, we met up with some other friends and went to a bar that serves hot dogs with each drink. My kind of place, let me tell ya. Anyway, I didn't get home until late and was pretty exhausted/coming off a nice buzz. So, here's my blog post, 24 hours late. My bad.

Life outside of that has been pretty normal. You can see how the city is gearing up for the holidays: the lights are going up in the outer boroughs, the windows at Macy's are slowly changing to holiday-themed scenes, and the candy in stores is turning to familiar shades of red and green. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... except for the shorts and t-shirts that spring up every now and then thanks to some gloriously warm days. Now, all we need is snow!

Happy Adventures!

Who are you?

Happy Monday everyone!

Today was a full day, let me tell you. Keep in mind this is my day off. Up at 8 am and laundry started by 8:45 after which I made my way into Manhattan to purchase tickets for Next to Normal for KTD, Emily, and I. (Side note: this will be the third show I will see this week...) Back to my apartment only to change and go right back out to the gym. Shower. Egg whites with green pepper and onion (mmmmm...) and a couple glasses of water. Another costume change, then out the door to meet up with a loyal reader that came to visit me in the big city. Big shout out to ksneyer for a fantastic day in Manhattan!

This evening, ksneyer and I had dinner at John's Pizza and took in a brutally hilarious comedy called God of Carnage. If you don't follow the New York theatre scene much, I don't image you've heard much about this show, but you should seek it out. Holy crap! You know you have things you really need to say to those you love but don't because other people are around? Well, in this show, it's all laid out in plain sight with plain (yet, graphic) language. The plot unfolds with two sets of parents meeting to discuss an altercation between their sons that resulted in one losing two teeth and causing pretty grisly damage to his face. Niceties are acknowledged at first, but soon all hell breaks loose and the two couples let each other have it. If you're in New York, SEE THIS SHOW!

The rest of my week has been pretty normal: lots of work, a few work outs, good hang out time with KTD on Friday night, and a party full of UGs Saturday night at the restaurant. I don't even want to talk about this because it'll just make me mad, but know that eventually, if you really want to know about it, you can always ask.

The highlight of the week was finishing Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon, which I had mentioned in my post last week. I came across this book in Entertainment Weekly, which if you know me well you know this is my bible as I enjoy all aspects of popular culture. On the inside-back cover of their issue a few weeks ago, the editors at EW decided to give this book a big HOLLER by setting it close to the center on The Bullseye--pick up an issue, you'll see what I mean. There wasn't any explanation, just simply: THIS BOOK. Naturally, my curiosity got the best of me and before you know it I'm in a Barnes & Noble picking up my very own copy. Right from the beginning, the story starts off with intrigue as a character is being rushed to the hospital after his hand has been cut off in some kind of accident...or so it seems. The basic idea behind this book is one of those inter-twining stories that start out as being completely separate apart from a common theme. By the end of the book, you're sent reeling by the simple revelation of one fact that ties them all together. Now, I won't lie (and I'm not tooting my own horn here) but I saw the end coming about halfway through the book. I didn't have it all figured out, but I had several ideas of what was happening. But still, pick it up and give your mind a mild work out. The plot concerns a man searching for his long-lost brother, another escaping his life to live as a conman with his biological father, and a young girl running off with her history teacher to start a new life. Each of these people either take on new identities or encounter different identities of another character. A big factor in the unfolding of the plot is identity theft/fraud and living double lives.

The whole time I was reading, I kept wondering, "Don't we all do this in some form or another: take on new identities?" Throughout my life, I can break down who I am into four distinct areas: grade school, high school, college, and the present. In each of these periods of time, I carry the same name (except for Kindergarten when I thought my name was spelled with a "y" on the end...) and the same personality. But, I guarantee that people that knew me in grade school would describe me totally differently then those that knew me in high school, and likewise with those that knew me in college and those that know me now. I've changed locations for each of these time periods as well. What I wonder is if my identity changed as well? And if so, did I purposefully change who I am as a way to adapt, or to give myself a fresh start? Are those two things the same? And, more importantly, why did I feel the need to change?

The night before I moved, I had dinner with my two best friends from home: Charles and Charlie. At some point in the evening, Charlie asked me, "Are you gonna become one of those New York assholes now?" I promised him, I wouldn't. Hopefully, I won't disappoint when I make my valiant return to Ohio at Christmastime. A few things I noticed that have changed since I moved concern physicalities (less of Nick) and my mental state (I've become increasingly more calm in the face of adversity). I only become made when I feel people are being irrational and blaming me for their problems (i.e. serving UGs the other night). Seriously, I thought I was going to kill them. Other than that, I feel as if I'm the same person. However, the change I'm most proud of is my desire to exercise. When I don't have a chance to work out, I feel upset. It's almost gotten to the point that I've gotten up earlier in the morning to go to the gym before work. But right now I'm too scared to find out if that'll wear me out too early in the day and I won't be able to make it through my usual double shift. We'll see.

Further along the lines of identity, I've been reading The Time Traveler's Wife. If you've never read this book, you really should. If you saw the movie and didn't like it, you should really read this book. If you saw the movie and did like it, you should really read this book. The whole idea of this man traveling throughout the span of his life and reliving certain events, mostly out of chronological order, made think of the idea of time stamps. There are things that he notices that cue him to when he is in time. And, of course, this got me thinking about the same idea. Now, I'm not traveling in time or anything, but what is it I'm doing now that'll eventually remind me of certain events. For example, I remember exactly where I was when I finished each of the books I have read in the last few months: Water for Elephant--the basement dining area at Sbarro's on 47th, Atonement--in bed, The Road--on the train platform at 30th Avenue after getting off the train, Await Your Reply--on the N train. Whenever I am in these places, or read those final words again, I will always think of the other. Right now, as I'm reading The Time Traveler's Wife, I'm noticing tiny splashes of juice from food I've been eating while reading, or creases from the cover bending in my backpack, or the black specks that bedazzle anything that is held in backpack because it is a cheap knock-off from China. I'll see all these things for the rest of my life and they will always remind me of these first few months I've spent in this place.

Eventually, these posts will make better sense as I learn how to put my mind in order on this blog. Thanks for reading.

Happy Advenutres!

A real New York weekend

Happy Monday!

I hope you're all sitting in an easy chair because I feel as if this is going to be a VERY long post. Maybe take a break in the middle, stretch your legs, get a refill on your wine or water, and enjoy the events of the last four days...

(Apologies: I tried repeatedly to upload pictures that I took, but technology sucks and so this post will be sans pictures. I'll try again another time. Sorry.)

ACT 1

Friday: October 30, 2009

Like any day on which I work, I began my morning with a plain, dry bagel and bottle of Power-C Vitamin Water (P-CVW). Let's face it: in this city, you need all the Vitamin C you can get! After peeling apart each warm, chewy bite of my bagel, I sipped at my P-CVW and continue reading my newest book, Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon. (Side note: I'm going to be writing about this book when I'm done. Look forward to that next week.) When the N train reached the Times Square-42nd Street stop, I exited the train cattle-style along with the hundreds of other passengers making their way to work. Basically, everything was very typical and didn't cause me to believe this day would be any different. Before you get ahead of yourself, nothing terrible happens. There is NOT a monster at the end of this post, nor at the end of this day.

Work was, as expected, slightly overstaffed and oh-so-painfully under-tipping. Thankfully, there are things that can be done about the latter; we're working on remedies to the former. All-in-all it was a very typical lunch, on a very typical day, in a very typical American restaurant in Times Square. I was the closer that day, so eventually the entire floor was cut and it was just me left to serve anyone that entered. AWESOME! I've become very accustomed to having a lot on my plate at work and I find I do my best work when I have a lot to do. Never in my left have I felt that to be the case. Maybe that's small victory in my corner? Anywho, I ended up walking with a nice roll of cash in my pocket and I realized I didn't have any plans for that evening. What could I do to spend my time? I didn't want to spend the money I just made, so what could I do that would be fun and interesting, while also capping off my very typical Friday in a way that could give me something to write about in my blog?

I HAD AN ADVENTURE!!!

When: (Date above), dusk

Where: the Brooklyn Bridge

Who: Nick

After leaving work I jumped on the N train towards downtown and transferred to the 6 at Union Square-14th Street and took that to the Brooklyn Bridge station. I hadn't been this far south on Manhattan since I moved, and I got slightly turned around in this station. First off, its like a hub for transportation on the south end of the island. This one station has so many different names and extends like a hatch on LOST. (Side note: I'm getting antsy waiting for the 6th and final season of LOST to get here...) Eventually, I found my way and emerged from the NYC underground to find myself right at the base of the pedestrian walkway for the Brooklyn Bridge. I knew there was going to be something special about walking across this bridge,I just didn't know what. As I said last week, is it the fear of the unknown that drives us forward, or does it hold us back? This was driving me forward. I found myself almost racing the other pedestrians as I put each foot in front of the other in anticipation to be on the bridge.

Why was I so excited?

I DON'T KNOW!

Within the first few minutes I had to tell myself to slow down and not waste the little bit of energy I had left after a long day at work on walking across this bridge. So I stopped and allowed my head to make use of the magic hinge it was put on that provides my sightline with at least 250 degrees of horizontal view without turning my body. At this point, I didn't consider myself to actually be on the bridge, but I most definitely wasn't street-level anymore. I could see streets running underneath me and saw them stretch for countless blocks, with thousands of people making their way to their own Friday night adventure. For some reason this was so thrilling to me! The buildings shot out of nowhere. Naturally, this is the way this city is constructed. But I was seeing these buildings start at the shore of the East River. Before long, the hard concrete underneath my feet had changed to a softer paneling of wood that had been laid straight out in front of me. I could feel the change in the terrain because it felt like carpeting compared to the concrete I had been walking up--on an incline, no less. Upon this realization, I stopped. And looked.

It's the little things about this city that get me going. I remember walking through the Central Park and seeing all these things that I've seen before, but mostly only in movies. Now, these are sights that are in the same city I live in. Maybe I'm still adjusting to the idea that this is where I live now? Maybe I'll never get over all the great symbols of NYC? Maybe I'm going to be one of those people that am constantly astounded by this city's greatness and even when I'm old and gray, it will still take my breath away.

But I was only 1/4 of the way across the bridge...

As I made my way under the arches, I reminisced with myself about this structure and what significance it has held in movies or TV shows. For those of you that saw the "Sex and the City" movie, you'll remember that this is the very bridge Miranda and Steve agreed to meet on if they both decided to rededicate themselves to their marriage and let their problems be their past and start a new future. This was where they decided their relationship could reach a compromise because it represents the connection of Manhattan and Brooklyn. As you'll recall (or not, if you didn't see either the movie or the original series), Miranda had always been a Manhattan girl through and through. However, Miranda and Steve decided the best place to raise Brady was a place with a backyard so he may have a normal childhood. Brooklyn was their compromise. Brooklyn became home and I have always wanted to go find the neighborhood they lived in in Brooklyn. It was after remembering that scene on the bridge when Miranda and Steve saw each other that I realized why I was so excited to walk across this bridge: it represents one of many ways all these boroughs of New York City are connected. All these millions of people that live off this blessed island of Manhattan and we all find our way back to this island each day. Even though we're all from different places, we consider ourselves New Yorkers. In our world in which people decide to accent differences and dwell on what makes us all different, in this city, we're all New Yorkers; a secret, unspoken bond that makes this an fantastic place to live.

Anyway, back to the walk.

I continued and found myself just enjoying the fact that I was in the middle of a bridge, between two islands, on a beautiful night, having the time of my life…walking…

I made my way back home and caught some Chicken Shack “Arroz con pollo” on the way. For those that don’t know Astoria too well: Chicken Shack is a very simple restaurant that has a large variety of chicken meals. My favorite, or at least the only one I’ve ordered, is Arroz con pollo, which in English means rice and chicken. It’s delicious. Come visit me and we’ll get some.

INTERMISSION—Please take a bathroom break, refill your glass, stretch your legs, and return in ten minutes time…

ACT 2

Saturday, October 31, 2009: HALLOWEEN!

I GOT CALLED INTO WORK!

::blank stare::

Once again, a long day of work. However, we weren’t terribly busy for dinner, so I was cut fairly early which meant I actually had the opportunity to do something that night. Recently, a couple Neil Simon plays were revived on Broadway, but had announced they would close on November 1, just one week after opening. They were intended to eventually have two shows running in repertory, but they hadn’t even begun previews of the second. After I had read reviews of the first, I decided I really wanted to see it. The play is called Brighton Beach Memoirs and tells the story of a 15-year-old Jewish boy named Eugene Morris Jerome living in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Brighton Beach with his family during the 1930s. The boy narrates the action of the play and is a simple story with a lot of heart. The young man playing Eugene was absolutely brilliant in his role and carries the weight and pacing of the show on his shoulders. Laurie Metcalf, of Roseanne-fame, plays his mother and she was hysterical and heart breaking all at the same time. It really is a travesty that more people didn’t see this show because it was truly wonderful. There aren’t big revelations or surprises around every corner; it’s just a good story about a family and their ability to relate to each other on different levels and for different reasons.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure about paying full price for the show, since it was more than I usually pay, but I would rather pay than regret not seeing it. Pleasantly, I do NOT regret paying full price. It wasn’t by any means the most spectacular production I’ve ever seen, but it got me thinking about my family and how I relate to them and how they would all react in similar situations. It got me wanting to write again; specifically, writing the play I want to write about my family and our dealing with ailing grandparents. Since I was here with my mom in January, I had a show planned out in my head that surrounded the (at the time, eventual) death of my grandmother. Maybe I’ll tell you all about it sometime, but not now. Like the under-heading of my blog reads, “Everything happens for a reason.” In my mind, I was supposed to go see this show so that I get back to writing, because I do miss it.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

The 40^th Annual New York City Marathon!

A friend of mine from my kickball team informed out team via e-mail that he wouldn’t be able to play this Sunday because he was running a project for the NYC Marathon and if any of us were interested in some extra cash, he was needing people to work. EXTRA CASH?!?! COUNT ME IN!!!

So, all day yesterday, I spent my day in Central Park on West Dr. handing checked baggage to runners after they finished. Let me tell you: this was one of the least impressive odd jobs I’ve ever done, but definitely one of the most fun and inspiring. There were 40,000+ runners in the marathon and you wouldn’t believe the range of people that came through after finishing: different races, different nationalities, different shapes and sizes. HOLY COW! There were some people I couldn’t believe they just ran 26.2 miles looking less in shape than I do!

It got me thinking of setting a long-term goal of running the marathon within the next five years. Maybe work up to a 5K by this time next year? A half-marathon three years from now? The marathon five years from now? We’ll see what happens. At this point, I’m running 3.5 miles on the elliptical at the gym in about 30-35 minutes. My goal is to be running outside when spring comes around. I tried running to the gym the other day, but the air is too cold right now to start. Goals. Goals. Goals.

Well, you’ve made it through another novel. CONGRATS! You’ve read the Nick Blog-athon! Be sure to stretch and replenish your carbs. See you all next week.

Happy Adventures!

The best laid plans of mice and men...

Happy Monday everyone! (Albeit a late Monday)

So, my initial idea for this weeks post was to present another adventure, however, I got called into work tonight. Perhaps things will work out better in the next week, but we'll see how that story unfolds.

Speaking of stories, I just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that details the journey of a man and his son across a post-apocolyptic America in search of the coast. I bought this book over a year ago and began reading around this time last year. For some reason or another, I never finished it then. But over the last few weeks, as I've stated before, I find myself utilizing my time on the train to read. So far I've read three books since mid-September. I don't consider myself a particularly fast reader, but that is some kind of record for me. Anyway, The Road is very simplistic in its narrative. McCarthy wastes no space with extra punctuation, which kind of annoyed me at first but I learned to ignore it and by the end of the book I didn't even notice it. The story doesn't go into great detail about the event that put the world in the utter turmoil the story is placed. Oddly enough, I find the not-knowing to be the most terrifying element of the story, not the several near-death experiences or the groups of cannibals our heroes come across throughout their journey. It's strange how the mind can develop a fear of something which is unknown.

Ironically, I think in the very same vein, when I moved here in August, I was terrified beyond belief of all the elements of living here that were unknowns. Would I have enough money to pay for my rent, my utilities, my student loans; all these things were following me and I had no idea how I was actually going to pay for it all. However, that fear led me to the restaurant that I now call my place of employment. Maybe Yoda was wrong. Maybe fear doesn't lead to the dark side. Maybe fear is what keeps us on the path of good and towards success.

For example, for the longest time my biggest fear has been of being alone. Not of spending the rest of my life single, but of living a life without friends and without purpose. I was told this weekend by some of my best friends at work that when they first met me they were like, "WTF? Is this guy for real?" Apparently, I came off as being too comfortable too quick. Maybe I feared not fitting in and not finding friends at work, because God knows I don't have time to find many friends outside of work these days. Thus, I do my very best to find friends wherever I go. I may hear people on the street trying to figure out where to go, how to get there, or what to do when they do finally get there. There have been a number of times when I chime in a lend a hand. A few times it's gotten me some free drinks. Maybe I'll never see those people again, but knowing that they appreciated my help was very satisfying.

Furthermore, I fear not meaning anything in this world. I've found myself considering those around me and the paths they've decided in their lives and wondered if they are truly happy or if this is just what they do between weekends. I, for one, don't want to spend the rest of my life working in a restaurant. My goal in life is not the become famous, but to help people be happier in whatever way I can through performing. So many people I have served since moving here have complimented me on how I've helped them have a more enjoyable experience. That fulfills my purpose, but I'm not performing at the restaurant, I'm someone's bitch (for lack of a better term). Thus, my fear of not fulfilling that purpose completely keeps me working towards my goals.

In other news, I had my first acting gig on Friday. My former roommate Kathryn works for a not-for-profit company that educates workers in Child Protective Services, the police department, and attorneys that work with victims of abuse, primarily child sexual abuse. This past week her company put on a three-day training that culminated with a day of role play involving actors portraying such victims. I was asked to participate and was given the role of an autistic 7-year-old boy who had been abused by his older half-brother. At first I was kind of uncomfortable with the whole situation because it was something I had never dealt with before I wasn't quite sure how to handle it. However, upon being put in that room and made to portray that character, it all just fell into place. The first session I was in didn't get to the point of disclosure where I was to divulge the whole scenario to the caseworkers. The second and third sessions, however, brought me to tears. I haven't acted for years and hadn't done anything like this before. But I once it started, it all just kind of flowed and felt (oddly) natural. This experience gave me new respect for the individuals that deal with these kinds of cases on a day-to-day basis. What was even more refreshing is that these people openly admit that their job can be terribly depressing when things like this happen to children, but they know they are meant to help these children and their families find peace after it is all said and done. They fear not helping, and so they continue to do this work because they have identified what fulfills their purpose.

I promise an adventure soon (with pictures!).

Happy adventures!