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!

Someone who has changed your life.

Happy Monday everyone!

First off, I apologize for last week's post being something of a tear-jerker--or so many of you have told me. That was not my initial intent when I sat down to write that. As it turns out, I've recently become very well-adjusted to my new life here and find myself thinking very clearly for the first time in a long time. It's strange how having a pretty regular routine after so many years of constant chaos has caused this.

My work schedule changes slightly on a week-to-week basis, but every morning I go to work, I know that I stop at my favorite bagel shop on the way to catch the train where I will order one (or two) plain bagels with nothing on them and a Vitamin Water. I'll eat one while I wait for the train and the first few minutes of the ride, then I'll pull out whatever book I've currently found myself submerged in until I arrive at the 42nd St./Times Square stop at which point I march out of the station, take a right on 43rd St. and wind up at work moments later. After my shift, I'll more than likely eat (for free!) and then either mosey on back home for a late afternoon/early evening work out, dinner, and then catching up on whatever TV I missed over the week. That's my typical day. Somehow, though, I've managed to turn all the monotony of that into something that gets me up each morning. Maybe I'm sleeping better because I'm working out now. Maybe I actual like my job and the people I get to work with and that makes me get up in the morning. Maybe I get up because I already work on the same streets that I hope to for a long time until my prospects change and I move onto something more fulfilling. Who knows? (Cue music. Right, Adam?) Either way, I'm really happy with my life right now.

Which brings me to the title of this post.

I'm sure during this, the facebook era, you've all seen this pictures where one person will tag a collection of characters with the names of their friends they believe to fit that specific mold. There is one currently circulating around facebook that is several different squares that say things like, "Your first crush", "The prettiest girl you know", "The friend that knows you better than anyone else", etc. I received an e-mail telling me that one of my former students from Lebanon had tagged me in a photo. Obviously, I was half intrigued, half terrified of what terribly embarrassing picture had recently surfaced. However, to my profound surprise, it was this most recent collage of "types" where this student of mine had tagged my name in the square that said "Someone that has changed your life." (Pause for tears.) It's been exactly a year ago that I began my student-teaching at Lebanon. Eight weeks later, I was a college graduate and had felt so accomplished in achieving not only a high-level of confidence in front of a choir, but also in developing a rapport with a group of students for which I came to care so deeply. I want to thank this student from the bottom of my heart for paying me the biggest compliment I have ever received. However much I may have impacted your life, I guarantee you've all done the same and more. Be good and always remember to breath.

This incredibly kind comment made me think of all the "Someone(s) who has/have changed my life." There are a lot of them.

My parents have obviously been a huge influence on my life in so many ways. From my mom, I've always been very conscious of being kind to everyone and being a good person. From my dad, I've acquire this sense of curiosity. I really like to know how things work. My dad really knows how just about ANYTHING works. Just ask him! However, I've also gotten this sense of know-it-all-ness from him. But I think it's more of an endearing trait than an off-putting one, mostly because I don't try to take myself too seriously.

Both my brother and my sister have been shining examples of cool, as I'm the eccentric one in the family and they are both pretty mellow, but know how to be crazy in their own rights.

All my friends from Glee Club changed my life by believing in me enough to give me lots of responsibility in the group. For this, I am eternally grateful. In the same vein, our director Ethan not only believed in me before I believed in myself, he put his reputation on the line for me. When I auditioned to be a music major my junior year, I didn't exactly dazzle the voice faculty, but Ethan assured them that while I wasn't the world's best singer, I would make one hell of a music teacher one day. As I'm writing, and anytime I think of that sentence, I feel guilty for not pursuing that career field after college. However, more than anyone, Ethan was the one that told me it was more important for me to follow my dreams and do what makes me really happy than to go into a field that I could always come back to. For your steadfastness and solid advice, I will always owe you an incredible debt, Ethan.

As I'm thinking of all the people I've known throughout my life, each one has played a part in making me the person I am today. As a performer, everyone is an audience member, so I guess I've been doing little trial auditions my entire life. I've failed a lot. But, in order to succeed, you have to fail a lot along the way.

While on that topic, I've decided to not let you all in on every audition I go to. Just know that I'm usually auditioning every week or two and I could definitely use all the thoughts and prayers in the world. When something actually happens, I guarantee you all will be among the first to know. I won't wait until a Monday. It'll be an emergency post with bells and whistles, flags and a fanfare.

I'm hoping to have another adventure soon, but am not sure when that'll happen. Days off are few and far between and usually packed with errands, like today. Sit tight; there are more adventures on the way.

Look around you. There's someone near whose life you have changed. Just be who you are and everyone will take notice.

Happy Adventures!

Autumn in New York...

When I moved here back in August, I knew this time of the year was what I was looking forward to, but also dreading.

Let me start with why I've been looking forward to it: I love fall. It is my absolute favorite season by far for so many reasons. At the top of that list is the fact that I don't sweat as much (even in winter...). Along with that comes the slight chill in the air that serves as a foreshadowing for the winter ahead. Kind of like Mother Nature is saying, "Hey, get ready..." Aside from that, there's just the things that accompany the temperature: sweaters, hot chocolate, fires (bon and otherwise), college football, an unexpected kick-off to Oscar Season (don't laugh, it's serious!), and of course the changing colors of the leaves. After my adventure in Central Park in September, I'm anxious to go back and walk through the Mall and see how the foliage has changed and admire the small things that make life awesome and comforting. Comforting, because seasons are something I come to rely on when everything else around you isn't. True, I was born and raised in Ohio where the weather changes more often than your underwear, but you could always count on a few days being picturesque every season and I've learned to cling to those. No, I'm not saying I had an unreliable childhood, adolescence, or even young adult life; I'm just saying life, in general, is pretty unpredictable. Knowing that the leaves are going to change colors and fall off the trees, which is followed by snowfall, then rain, and the eventual return of the leaves in spring is comforting. And knowing right now that all of you are experiencing the same thing in all different places far from where I am makes me feel less far from you all. Which brings me to why I have been dreading this time of year...

Over the last few weeks at Miami, there have been a number of concerts that I have missed. This coming weekend is Homecoming and I will also miss that. The Holiday concerts will be in early to mid-December and I will also be missing those. I'm hoping that a good number of the people reading this are the ones for which I hate missing those events. It's been almost exactly 10 months since I graduated and the time has not made it any easier to get over the fact that I'm not there any more; Oxford is not where I call home anymore.

As I write this, I'm listening to the recording of the Centennial Concerts for Glee Club which took place over the last weekend of February 2008. It's so wonderful to hear something that means so much to me again and again. One song in particular defines some of the most meaningful moments I've ever had with Glee Club. That song is Morten Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium". The first time I sang this song in concert was at the Holiday Concert in 2004. This particular day's weather consisted of a huge snow storm that had accompanying sleet and ice. My parents were driving down from Columbus to hear the concert. They got caught in some weather-related traffic and called to let me know they may be late but would call when they got there just to let me know they had arrived safely. So I waited and got no call, the concert started and no call. Then we started sing "O Magnum". For those that don't know the song, there is a section I refer to as the "beata" section that depicts the pain Mary goes through giving birth to Jesus. This has always been a part of the song that I relate to my mother and all mothers. Low and behold, when we reached this particular section, I looked off to the right of the seated audience and saw my parents standing by a corner in Kumler Chapel: my mom in tears, my dad with a look on his face I'll never forget and will never be able to accurately describe. It's almost as if they were delivered there especially for me. One other time this song has particular significance was on Winter Tour my fifth year when we stopped in Columbus. Once again, the weather had decided to put down about a foot and a half of snow that made the two hour drive from Oxford to Columbus a four and a half hour drive. After we had lunch, I got a call from my sister and she only said one thing, but I had to have her repeat it three times because I couldn't understand what she was saying. Through tears she was saying, "Grandma's not doing well." (This was my mom's mom.) We were getting on the bus, so after she said she didn't know too much of what was going on, I told her I would call her back once we got to our venue for the that evening's concert. I had already decided I wanted to conduct for this concert since my family was going to be there. Naturally, I chose "O Magnum Mysterium". While rehearsing it with the group, I stopped them and asked to just sing through the "beata" section. I told them the situation at hand, which was that it looked as though my grandma may not make it through the night. I asked them to think about their mothers and to imagine the pain they would be feeling if they were watching their mother die; I asked them to imagine the pain they would feel themselves watching their own mothers die knowing this woman went through great pains to bring you into the world. They sang it again, and it was beautiful, just everything I had wanted. Before the concert, my dad had called to let me know things weren't looking all that good and my mom would not be making it to the concert that night. "O Magnum" went so well during the concert and I will never forget the feeling of conducting that piece with my best friends singing it. After the concert, my dad pulled me aside and broke the news that my grandma had indeed passed away around 6:15 that evening. In my mind, Glee Club helped me sing my grandma to heaven that night.

I will always associate "O Magnum" with Glee Club. I will always associate Glee Club with family. I will always associate family with home. So, I guess in some way, even though I'm not living in Oxford and I can't call it home, it will always feel like home. What this all boils down to is that I'm starting to feel homesick--in every sense of the word.

Since moving to New York, I've set myself up with gainful employment, made my living conditions very comfortable and manageable, and made some fantastic friends. In some ways, maybe New York is starting to feel like home. "Home is where your heart is", right? Well, right now, my heart is being pulled all over the place: I desperately want to sit in Hall Auditorium and listen to my brothers sing under the direction of my best friends; I desperately want to sit on the couch in my parents house with the dog up on my lap; I desperately want to drive from Columbus to Oxford to Lebanon to Cincinnati and everywhere in between. Maybe soon. Maybe while I'm home over Christmas. Definitely sometime.

In the meantime, I've begun some new routines. One of my friends from work has started teaching a tap class over the last few weeks and I've been an avid participant. For those of you that didn't know this: I learned to tap in high school and picked it up pretty well. But it's been about six and a half years since I was last in a dance studio taking any formal classes. Everything feels weird. Maybe I need new shoes? Maybe I just need to work on my technique a little more? Maybe I need to review some of the basic ballet I've learned that may allow me to stay better balanced? Maybe a million things. All I do know is that I'm loving knowing that I have this to look forward to each week.

Furthermore, I joined a GYM! That's right, kids! Nick is working out! I've only gone once since I joined, but I have plans to go with my friend Sean from work two more times this week. Right now, I'm just trying to get in some good cardio and make it a habit. So look out when I'm home over Christmas, I'm gonna need some smaller pants! In fact, all my pants are getting pretty baggy on me that I've resorted to using the hot water cycle in the wash and higher heat in the dryer.

I guess that's all the news fit to print right now. I'll see ya next time.

Happy Adventures!

A Stud and a Babe

Happy Monday everyone!

So this is the second Monday in a row I've been back! YES! And it was a pretty fun last week or so.

Everyday I come to find more reasons why I love this city. I could be on the train and see someone I recognize but maybe not know, see someone I do know but not recognize them, or possibly find someone's doppelganger--which happens a little too often, to be honest. More often than I ever expected, I see people talking to themselves, even arguing with themselves. This is equal parts hilarious and disturbing. What makes it all the more frightening is that I've noticed it is a trend among older women that seem to have a chip on their shoulder. You know the type: whiny, picky, and altogether bitchy... Yes, my friends, this is what girls in New York fear of becoming. Don't let it happen to you.

This brings me to things I don't like about the city: the women mentioned above. Now, I'm not being sexist or anything, because there are definitely men that act the very same way, but they seem to realized it most times and stop. The women, however, believe they are always in the right and YOU are the bad person. For example, I work in a restaurant in Times Square which is of course in the Theatre District. Many patrons will come to our restaurant prior to their show. Now, most people anticipate and desire the ability to take their time with their meal and leave plenty of time for the food to be properly prepared and brought out in a timely manner that still allows time for well-paced conversation over their meal. However, it seems uncommonly common for this situation to go this way: said patrons enter restaurant and ask for a table for x-number of guests*; the host/hostess takes them to a table for the desired amount of guests and the Undesirable Guest (I shall refer to this guest in this way) insists that this table is not good enough for them; the UG proceeds to search the restaurant for exactly the table that fits the right mold, all the while the host/hostess has moved on to their plan B table which also allows for the servers to not be overwhelmed which will maximize the quality of service, etc.; after much deliberation and mumbling under the breath, the UG sits down with his/her other guests. After the order has been taken (all medium well to well done burgers), sent to the kitchen, and 10 minutes has past, the UG will more than likely call out, rudely, "Where's our food? We got a show in 15 minutes!" This information should have been stated earlier in this scenario where the asterisk (*) lies. Please, take a moment to find this part in the story... Naturally, their food only has another 5 minutes, but that's not good enough, so the UG sulks in the our "inadequacies", reveling in the idea that they can do our job better than we do on a 40-hour/week basis. It is at this point that mind tends to create an alternative reality where I proceed to tell the UG: "BITCH! IF YOU HAVE A SHOW, YOU SHOULD HAVE SHOWN UP MORE THAN 30 MINUTES FOR THE CURTAIN IS SUPPOSED TO GO UP! IN THE FUTURE, DON'T BE SO F-ING DUMB! NOW EAT YOUR DAMN BURGER, PAY YOUR BILL, TIP ME MORE THAN 20% AND GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SECTION!" However, in reality, I apologize for not knowing they had a show because had I known this, I would have insisted that they not have ordered burgers cooked anything above medium.

End of rant.

I think I may have found my favorite pizzeria in NY! It is called Arturo's Pizza and is located in Greenwich village on Houston, just south of NYU. This past Thursday night was my rommate Javier's birthday and I was invited to attend dinner here. I thought, "Oh, how nice, it'll just be like 6 or 7 of us having pizza. Goodie." Little did I know that I was living with the single most-popular guy on NYU's campus. Initially, there were to only be 10 of us. Shortly after we were seated, however, the party started to grow. It grew to the nice, round figure of 20...or so. Pizzas were ordered and brought out and devoured, wine was poured and drunk fairly quickly. More pizzas were ordered, brought out, and devoured. More wine was poured and drunk. Lather, rinse, repeat. I forgot to mention that Javier is my roommate from Uruguay and he is getting his PhD (question mark) in Spanish Literature (bigger question mark). What this means is that most of his friends are all from his department and from all the linguistics departments. (Of course, I naturally cut to a scene from FRIENDS where Ross tells everyone "She a linguist! They're crazy over there...) What this really means is that everyone around me was speaking in different languages... The night could a great turn when I found a mutual topic to discuss with some people at the table: Food Network! Yes, we discussed all of our favorites and some we didn't have as much mutual respect for. (Austin, if you're reading this, please skip the next few sentense) One couple at the table insisted that Paula Deen is terrible. I know, I know, I know. I'm upset, too. They insisted that everything she does is just loud and obnoxious and bigger than everyone else because that's her character. They insister that the Barefoot Contessa does the same dishes but in a much more elegant fashion. Well, EXCUSE me for liking things big, loud, and obnoxious (I like myself, obviously). Anywho, it was fun to talk food while enjoying some of the best pizza I've had. Most pizza in New York has a pretty non-descript curst but really good cheese and toppings. This pizza had it all. It was coal oven-baked which gave it a fantastic grilled flavor with just a touch of burntness (yes, it tastes like burning...) and the toppings, cheese, and sauce were just perfect. If you come to visit me, we're totally going to Arturo's!

The next night was HUGE! I made my New York City performance debut at the first ever Christ Church UM Cabaret Night alongside Emily. We sang "A Stud and a Babe" from I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and were a pretty big hit. Of course, being me I didn't hit all the right notes, but I hadn't even gotten ahold of the music until the day before. But, of course, being me I did hit all the funny parts. The whole theme of the evening was Loving the City and Emily was kind of a centerpiece for the night as she wove the theme throughout the night with three songs about wanting, finding, and having love. Other than our song, she sang "Taylor the Latte Boy" and "Make Someone Happy". She spoked briefly before each performance, telling a story about finding love in the big city. EMILY KILLED EVERY SINGLE SONG! She was a huge hit for the night. I hope she doesn't hate me for saying this, but she was really nervous the whole night because she had never performed for the people at her church before, yet they all knew that she was a performer. It was kind of her coming out party for this nice facet of her persona to them. And they LOVED IT! So many wonderful comments came her way and I am so proud of her! You GO EMILY! Video was taken of the night, and I promise I'll post it here as soon as I get ahold of it.

Saturday. Work.

Sunday. KICKBALL! Yes, I joined an adult kickball league and am on a team with KTD--the Dirty Pirate Hookers. I'm a new member of the team and as such, I do not have a Dirty Pirate Hooker name yet, but it's being worked on. So, our first game of the season was against Balls N' Dolls--all the teams have "clever" names. I felt like Emily starting my first game of kickball since maybe middle school, but both times I got up to "bat", I got on base. Of course, there was a big mistake on my part: after the first time I got on base, another player on our team got a good kick in that was caught...or at least that's what I saw. As the rules state, I need to touch back on my base before I could go for the next base. After I saw the ball caught, I went back to first. In doing this, I missed the ball being dropped and so I stayed at first while several people were yelling at me to "GO! NICK! GO!" You all know me: I don't like being yelled at... So the other team got the ball to someone within feet of me and they threw it directly at my chest. My response: "At least I used my chest!" WHAT?!!? Glad to see not much as changed since I moved, huh? Anyway, after the game we proceeded to our sponsoring bar where we played several games of flip cup and had an altogether (that's the second time I've used that word in this post, or ever) legendary time. Finding my way back to Astoria from the Lower East Side was interesting--especially while a little drunk. But I made it back and had myself a delicious dinner of PJ&B and two apples while finishing the season two finale of LOST. I will soon be commencing on season three--my FAVORITE!!!

I guess that's all for now. Hope you're all doing well. Let me know what's happening in your lives, please.

Happy Adventures!