Happy Birthday Trannies...

Two of my favorite people were born on this date. Two people who I hold to the highest esteem and whom I would do anything for. Two wonderful individuals who have stood by me, through thick and thin. Two talented beings who will go on to do amazing things with their lives. Two people who I have been through hell and back with. Two people who have carried me through my worst, and have celebrated with me at my best. Two people who have taught me the importance of laughter and loyalty. Two people who I consider my best friends, life-long, in fact. Here's to you!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!

Not the Little Woman You Think She Is

The novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott has always been one of my favorite classics. To many readers, like myself, Alcott is synonymous with her most famous character, Jo March, the spirited sister in the beloved tale. In all actuality, she was quite different. The March family in Little Women was not wealthy, as they lived in genteel poverty. But the real Alcott family lived in dire need.

From the time she was young, Alcott vowed that she would see to it that her family would not be poor. Just after she turned 11 years old, she wrote: "I wish I was rich, I was good, and we were all a happy family this day." The high-mindedness of the fictitious March family contrasts starkly with Alcott's real-life motivations. She was extremely driven, in large part, by the desire to not be poor. She said, "Money is the means and the ends of my mercenary existence."

Louisa also had a very interesting relationship with her father, Bronson Alcott. His friends included the likes of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Despite his distinguished associations, however, he never managed to have the drive to properly support his family, and life-long bitterness from Louisa soon followed.

Another fascinating aspect of Alcott's life was that she worked as a nurse in the aftermath of the bloody Battle of Fredericksburg during the Civil War. Upon leaving for this call of duty, her father told her that he was "sending his only son to war." Alcott's Hospital Sketches was based on this dreadful but fascinating experience she had.

Louisa May Alcott created a life for herself based on her wants and needs, rather than expectations of society, and eventualy became hugely successful, making hundreds of thousands of dollars (multi-millionaire status in those times). Alcott eventually died of what historians believe to be lupus-related illness in Boston at the age of 55.

Though many readers will always associate Alcott with the sweetness of Little Women, her true legacy (and possibly Jo March's as well) is really about the empowerment of women and girls around the world.

In her own words: "I'd rather be a free spinster and paddle in my own canoe, embody the spirit of many who lead the women, and serve as a variation of a woman who wants to live a fulfilled life."

The Aquarian Exposition...

Today is the 4oth Anniversary of the legendary Woodstock festival. Something deep down tells me that in my previous life, I was one of the love soldiers of 1969 who attended the historical event: celebrating love, peace, and music.

Woodstock 1969 is to this day, the most historic music festival in history. It marked the height of a peaceful counterculture revolution. Woodstock sent a message to the world just before the intense wave of dissent washed back to sea. Embodied in this music festival is an entire set of ideals which are just as prevalent in today's society as they were in forty years ago.

Woodstock marked the peak for hippie counterculture. The ideals of peace, love, and expansion resonated throughout the country, and the world had little choice but to pay attention when 500,000 supports of these ideals met in the 600-acre farm where Woodstock was held. The long list of musicians, which would shape the history of the art, is unparalleled.

The Woodstock festival which manifested by a splatter painting of random events and freak occurrences, will forever be solidified as one of the most important events in the cultural history of America. The wide-legged, tie-dyed, glazy-eyed spectacle that was Woodstock changed the history of rock and roll and exemplified an entire era.

A Perfect Ten...

The amazing Eunice Kennedy Shriver was a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, sister and aunt who taught by example and with passion; what it means to live a faith-driven life of love and service to others. She was a guiding light in an often stormy sea.

Inspired by her devotion to her family and her relentless belief in the dignity and worth of every human life, she worked without ceasing - searching, pushing, demanding, hoping for change. She was a living prayer, a living advocate, a living center of power. She set out to change the world and to change us, and she did that and more.

She founded the movement that became Special Olympics, the largest movement for acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities in the history of the world. Her work transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the globe, and they in turn are her living legacy. Eunice scores a "perfect ten" in my opinion, and will continue to inspire me in the work that I do each day working with disabled youth. A true hero, Eunice's legacy will live on in the hearts of the world.

"Special Olympics athletes are spokespersons for freedom itself - they ask for the freedom to live, the freedom to belong, the freedom to contribute, the freedom to have a chance. And, of all the values that unite and inspire us to seek a better world, no value holds a higher place than the value of freedom."

~Eunice Kennedy Shriver~

If You're Happy & You Know It...

Today, August 8th, is "Happiness Happens Day". It is a day intended to spread sunshine and smiles everywhere you go, to everyone you meet. As hokey as this may sound, it has some merit to it. I truly believe in manifest destiny: what you imagine and believe to happen, will. For example, if you wake up in the morning and think/meditate/pray for good things to come, they will. It is your choice to wake up on the "wrong side of the bed" and determine your destiny for the next 24 hours of your life.

Being the positive and optimistic person that I am, this naturally comes pretty darn easy for me. However, I have had days that I CHOSE to wake up on the wrong side of the bed...and nothing good ever came from it. And then there were the days where I had no cash left in my wallet, halfway to work my gas light came on, and knew I had to go to visit a dear friend in the hopsital immediately after work. On this particular day however, I CHOSE to smile and look on the bright side of things. The result was incredible: I won $250 on an old Lotto ticket I had not yet scratched off, gas prices dropped 12 cents that day, and I found out that my friend had no more detectable traces of cancer in his body!


So I ask you, for today (on annual HAPPINESS HAPPENS DAY), to wake up on the "right side of the bed", smile proudly at yourself when you first look into the mirror in the morning, and think about the simple things that you can do today to change someone's life for the better. It will come back ten-fold and happiness will surely happen to you in return.

"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves."
~James M. Barrie~

I am now, and will forever be, a Duckman...

John Hughes

(February 18, 1950 – August 6, 2009)



Dear Mr. Vernon,

We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us...In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, an athlete, a basketcase, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question?

Sincerely yours,

The Breakfast Club

POP! Goes the Weasel...

Today is the birthday of my all-time favorite artist, Andy Warhol. A central figure in the pop art movement, Andy actually got his start as an illustrator. He is most famous for his wonderful brightly colored silkscreen images of cultural icons such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and of course, Cambell’s tomato soup cans. He also made several films, collaborated with many musical giants such as The Velevet Undergound, and served as a mentor for other visual artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, among many others. Although highly controversial, Andy is widely recognized as one of the most influencial artists of the 20th century.

One day I will own my own piece of authentic Warhol. My buddy Kim and I are soon taking a trip to Pittsburgh, to visit Andy's grave and also to explore the Warhol Museum (http://www.warhol.org/). But for now, I leave you with some of my favorite quotes from this highly original and unapologetic genius:

"People need to be made more aware of the need to work at learning how to live, because life is so quick and sometimes it goes away too quickly."
~Andy Warhol~

Candle in the Wind...

On August 5, 1962, movie actress Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room. After a brief investigation, Los Angeles police concluded that her death was "caused by a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs and that the mode of death is probable suicide." Four decades after her death, Marilyn Monroe remains a major cultural icon. The unknown details of her final performance only add to her mystique.

Even as a young child I was fascinated by this beauty. I had a poster of Monroe on my wall, would watch her films over and over again, and was so curious with the mystery that surrounded her death. How could someone so young, beautiful and full of success be so depressed and not have the strength to go on anymore? It still baffles me to this day.

Although I was not even alive during her career or her passing, Marilyn Monroe will always remain of of my favorites. Goodbye Norma Jean...your candle burned out long before your legend ever did!

Back to School...

After a scalding, yet wonderful summer, it is time once again to go back to school! School, meaning work. Work, meaning school. :)

I am actually extremely excited to get back on campus, preparing for another year of assisting and educating the amazing high school kids who I work with. I am also very excited to be working with Debra, my amazing co-worker again this year. I have learned so much from her and I look forward to another successful year at DHHS!



PS--> I am now back on TEACHER TIME-please no calls or texts after 9 pm-LOL!

How Sweet the Sting...

This past weekend I was stung by a bee. In my 30 years of life, I have never been stung by any sort of winged-creature. The moment it happened, I grabbed my foot and fell hard to the ground. I screamed out in agony, alerting my boyfriend Joshua of what had just occurred. I sat, rocking back and forth, on the cool green grass. My body began to sweat as I began yelling at Josh to help me. He went inside to get the tweezers and, which seemed like hours, came running back, now in full nurse-mode.

When he finally returned, he smiled at me (he maybe even let out a small chuckle), and slowly began to approach the stinger that was protruding from my swollen toe. I took a deep breath and started doing something that could have resembled lemaze breathing. Joshua laughed and within seconds, the stinger was out. He saved my life!

I rolled onto my back and looked up at the sky, still breathing heavily, now feeling an uncomfortable throbbing in my toe. Joshua looked at me, smiled again, and shook his head. I started to giggle, which immediately turned into an uncontrollable roar of laughter and an eventual returned smile to my man.

My first bee sting reminded me of the fact that I have an amazing partner, who, whether it be a tiny insect bite or something much much worse, will always be there to take care of me.

How sweet the sting!

Video Killed the Radio Star...

On August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., MTV (Music Television) launched with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll!" Those words were immediately followed by the original MTV theme song, playing over a montage of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Appropriately, the first music video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.



The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs. Due to the popularity of trashy reality television however, the current state of MTV is not at all what it used to be. Despite this, since its premiere, MTV continues to have a profound impact on the music industry and popular culture worldwide.



I grew up watching this channel and I truly believe it partially shaped who I am as a person. As a child I would sit in front of the television, spellbound, watching the glorious videos of Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Depeche Mode, Rick Astley, and Michael Jackson. I would recreate the videos in my backyard and record my favorites on VHS tapes (which I still have). My love for music and pop culture have a lot to do with MTV, and although the videos are few and far between now, I continue to exclaim, "I WANT MY MTV!"

Who Can You Trust...

Two Ohio police chiefs suspected of masterminding a break-in at the home of a surrogate mother for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick have been arrested on undisclosed charges. Reports are that the men planned to snoop and obtain tabloid fodder to later sell for personal profit.

Even though SJP and Broderick are celebrities, they are also taxpaying, hard-working, citizens who put trust in our law enforcement just as you and I do. Their rights and trust in the law have been compromised.

I remember as a child, my parents always taught me to respect my teachers, elders, and law enforcement. It makes me sad that there are such corrupt people who work for these institutions. It often seems as though our children have no one to look up to in their young lives anymore.

While I still hold a huge amount of respect and admire the women and men who protect and serve, I also know that money talks, and drives people to do things that go against their morals.

Let's try and remember that trust, faith, and service to others is worth so much more than the mighty dollar.

Babooshka, babooshka, babooshka...

Happy 50th Birthday to one of my favorite musicians: KATE BUSH




"And if I only could, make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places, be running up that road, be running up that hill, be running up that building..."

The Truth Is Out There...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration turns 51 years old today. Since its inception in 1958, NASA has accomplished many great scientific and technological advances in air and space. NASA remains the leading force in scientific research and in sparking public interest in space exploration, as well as science and technology in general. Space exploration has taught us to view Earth, ourselves, and the universe in a new way. The tremendous accomplishments of NASA demonstrate vividly that humans can achieve previously inconceivable feats, with the realization that Earth is just a tiny "blue marble" in the cosmos.

Who knows what discoveries are in store for us? Will we eventually find intelligent life forms other than ourselves out there someday? Will they be a kind race, or an evil dominating force that will destroy us upon discovery? When I think of space travel and other worlds beyond our own, I get as excited as a schoolboy, fascinated with the possibilities of what is out there.
"The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever"
~Konstantin Tsiolkovsky~

I Pray for Jackie's Strength...

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was born 80 years ago today. She was beautiful, charming, talented, gifted, and immensely respected worldwide. Every woman in America wanted to look like her and her taste in fashion quickly became the national standard. Although "Jackie," as she was called, professed no particular interest in politics, she quickly became a major asset to her ambitious husband.
She traveled around the world as First Lady and impressed many dignitaries with her knowledge of foreign languages. The American public was charmed by the sweet-voiced Jackie who led them on a televised tour of the White House to show off its treasures.
Above all else, Jacqueline Kennedy was devoted to her children. Mrs. Kennedy once said, "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." The nation grieved along with the First Family when the Kennedys' third child died shortly after birth in 1963. But there was even greater grief yet to come. On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. The nation watched transfixed as the young widow led her family and the world in mourning the fallen president. Through her amazing courage and strength she mustered after this tragic loss, she helped the country mourn the loss of one of the greatest American Presdient's ever to live. This woman can remind us all that through any sort of tragedy or loss, we must find the strength to move on, and use the pain to channel goddness and hope.

To honor the life and legacy of Jackie, I have included Tori Amos singing JACKIE'S STRENGTH:


"A Bouvier 'til her wedding day, shots rang out, the police came. Mama layed me on the front lawn and prayed for Jackie's stregth."

All Work and No Play...

One of my all-time favorite filmmakers, Stanley Kubrick, would have celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday had it not been for a fatal heart attack ten years ago. Through his films he sparked controversy, while also providing an intimate and touching look into the human psyche. He has garnered many awards and is considered one of the most celebrated filmmakers of all time. Kubrick's legacy will forever live on in his wonderfully crafted and memorable works. Included are the trailers of my three favorite Kubrick masterpieces:



"I would not think of quarreling with your interpretation nor offering any other, as I have found it always the best policy to allow the film to speak for itself."
~Stanley Kubrick~

Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy...

Howdy Partner! Today is National Day of the Cowboy. Being raised in Arizona and having parents who took my sister and I on numerous "educational summer vacations" around the southwest to monuments, ruins, and tourist traps, I have much respect for this idea. The mission of this nonprofit organization is to contribute to the preservation of America's Cowboy heritage. The National Day of the Cowboy organization was founded in June 2005, working continuously to increase national support so that active participation in celebration of the National Day of the Cowboy continues to grow each year, and so future generations remain aware of the Cowboys' contribution to America's rich Western heritage.

Please visit http://www.nationaldayofthecowboy.com/ for more information about this organization or http://www.thewildwest.org/ to learn more about Wild West culture and historical events.

Now, a look at some of my most favorite Wild West legends:

BILLY THE KID (1859-1881)

JESSE JAMES (1847-1882)

CALAMITY JANE (1853-1903)

ANNIE OAKLEY (1860-1926)

WYATT EARP (1848-1929)

AND MY FAVORITE COWBOY OF ALL TIME:

Joshua Silvia (1979- )

YEE-HAW!!!

This Woman's Work...

Watching the television show So You Think You Can Dance a few nights ago brought me back to a place I never wanted to return to: my mother's battle with breast cancer. This was a very trying time for my family, which brought on more than just the cancer to fight off. I won't go into the private details of it all, but my family almost fell apart. Through my mother's strength, faith, and hope, she overcame this horrible terror and weathered all of the additonal storms that had clouded her life. She is a strong, patient, and forgiving woman. This video is a tribute to her:



"Pray God you can cope. I stand outside. This woman's work. This woman's world...I know you've got a little life in you yet. I know you've got a lot of strength left."

Before & After...

I have been without internet capability in my home (due to a recent move) for almost a week now. Thank GOD my roommate has tunnel-vision when it comes to projects becuase I finally have access to the World Wide Web again. I have been without Blogspot, Facebook, Myspace, Gmail and Google for a week! I thought I was actually going to have to start calling people on the phone or send handwritten letters again...what a concept, huh? So inhonor of my return to cyberland, I wanted to share this amusing, yet somewhat sad list of what life was like before the internet:

Before: Family time was spent watching TV or playing board games together.
After: Family time is spent in separate corners of the house, each on their own computer instant messaging one another.

Before: People could properly spell and used decent grammar.
After: Now thx 2 IM and SMS, they spel lik dis. LOL!!!!!!

Before: We wrote letters to friends and loved ones far away, and maybe even the occasional Pen Pal.
After: Now we just forward joke e-mails and Internet hoaxes to loved ones and friends while not even bothering to remove the hundreds of forwarded addresses contained within the message.

Before: Door-to-door Encyclopedia salesmen.
After: Wikipedia.

Before: Dewey Decimal System and Microfilm.

After: Google.

Before: Long-distance phone calls to a dear friend or family member.
After: Cell phones, IM, SMS, email, Skype, etc.

Before: Floating checks to avoid overdrafting your checking account.
After: Immediately bouncing checks (or maybe you're asking yourself what is a Check?).

Before: Getting caught looking at your Father's Playboy.
After: Catching your Dad looking at Internet porn because he forgot to clear his browser history.

Before: Kids would hang out at Video Arcades, Malls, Roller Rinks, and pizza places.
After: Kids hang out at MySpace.com

Speaking of MySpace...
Before: I have a dear friend named Tom.
After: Everyone has a friend named Tom.

Before: People went on blind dates or met people at the bar to find romance.
After: Now we sit at home alone and surf Match.com to find romance.

Before: We scoured the neighborhoods and found one-of-a-kind items at estate sales.
After: eBay and Craigslist.

Before: VCRs and TV Guide.
After: Tivo and DVR.

Before: Walking billboards, bumper stickers and print advertising.
After: Viral videos and forehead advertising.

Before: Children wrote letters to Santa Claus and mailed them to the North Pole.
After: Children send email to Santa Claus at northpole.com and track his progress online.

Before: Dear Diary,
After: http://thestaceyjay.blogspot.com/

Pushing The Envelope...

So I went to see the film Bruno tonight. I had heard all the hype around this controversial film but never really intended to see it in theatres. After a long day of work and studying, however, I thought that a 2-hour chuckle fest would be good for the soul. This so called "chuckle fest" turned out to be the complete opposite---it turned into an aggravating, questionable, and thought provoking mind-fuck that I wished I had not experienced.

The film offends, degrades, and pokes fun at the homosexual lifestyle, which I am a proud member of. It has nasty, vulgar, crude humor fit for not even my high school students. So why was I laughing and smiling throughout the film? This was the mind-fuck...Should I have been laughing, or rather walked out in disgust and demanded my money back? Still debating over this...

But in order to get a good night's sleep, I have come to the conclusion that if we cannot laugh at ourselves and the silly things we do and subscribe to, then what's the point of living? Was I offended at the tacky "gay" outfits Bruno wore and the overly stereotypical sexual innuendos? Yeah. But have I also worn a see through shirt to club just like he did in the film? Yeah. So I choose to look back and laugh.

After a brief reflection and a glass of wine, I actually believe that this film was made to not offend, but to to remind the viewing public that the film was actually intended to expose homophobia.

That's the conclusion I have come to: laugh at yourself, don't take life too seriously, and not to be overly sensitive. Thanks for reminding me of this lesson Bruno-you are one sexy Faggot!

I Call My Friends Charlotte...

I am currently taking a Children's Literature class. One of my required readings for the course is Charlotte's Web. Today, coincidentally, is what would have been author E.B. White's birthday. One of the main themes in this classic children's book deals with friendship. Charlotte is a true, loyal, and devoted friend to Wilbur the pig. I have a lot of "Charlotte's" in my life and am so thankful for them. As an adult, I seem to make friends easily. I am truly grateful for that gift and cherish all of the TERRIFIC people in my life that I consider a friend. No need to list them, for you all know who you are. I look forward to spinning more webs throughout our lives together...

"You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that."
~excerpt from E.B. White's Charlotte's Web

Catherine the Great...

My grandma Catherine turns 77 today. You would never know it if you met her. Her spunk, energy, and enthusiasm for life is what has kept her going all these years. I thank her for her patience, kindness, and understanding. She is one of my best friends and I am so grateful for having a strong woman like herself in my life.

Happy 77th Birthday to the most AMAZING Grandmother a boy could know!

Fortune Cookie Nookie...

After eating my delicious Chicken Lo Mein and vegetable egg rolls I crack open my fortune cookie to reveal what my future had in store: "YOU WILL LEAD A RICH AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE".

Hollerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Finally, the fortune I have been waiting for and wanting for the past 30 years. Money! Fame! Success! Glamour!

Smiling, I ate the crunchy cookie and thought about what I might spend my new wealth on. New homes, cars, vacations. So many exciting possibilities!

Then the phone rang. It was my sister, telling me that my nephew wanted to tell me something. The moment he began to speak, I realized that my fortune had already come true.

I am already leading a rich and successful life. Rich because of my amazing friends, loving family, and supportive partner and successful because of my wonderfully rewarding job working with teens.

Let's all try to live more "rich" and "successful" lives.

Truth Or Consequences...

Yesterday was "National Tell the Truth Day". This got me thinking. Does anyone really speak the whole truth, 100% of the time? In an ideal world, everyone would. But I just don't think this happens. Shitty, right? I certainly don't tell the WHOLE TRUTH 100% of the time. Which makes me feel even more shitty. Like when I say "I am 5 minutes away!" When in all actuality, I am barely leaving the house. Why can't I just say, "Sorry I am late, be there in 20 minutes"? It seems so much easier than trying to create some elaborate fib or little white lie for really no reason at all.

So from now on, I want to strive to TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH...SO HELP ME GOD.

"It is better to ultimately succeed with the truth than to temporarily succeed with a lie."

~Adrian Rodgers~

Tonight the Full Buck Moon comes out. It got this name from Native American tradition due to July normally being the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur.

It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time.

Another name for this month's Moon was the Full Hay Moon. To the early settlers, the nature signs they used to mark the full moons were generally related to farming. This may come from the fact that the brightness of the moon allows one to harvest hay in the cool of the night rather than the heat of the day.

Take some time tonight to step outside and marvel in the moonlight.

It Was an Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie...

This week the bikini celebrates its sixty-third birthday. This tiny fashion item has had an impact way beyond its size when it emerged in Paris in 1946. The bikini was invented by French car engineer Louis Reard. This iconic fashion piece is a staple in every woman's wardrobe, and most gay men's as well. Ha Ha! To celebrate, let's take a stroll down bikini babe lane...

Micheline Bernardini wearing the first bikini, 1946

Ursula Andress creates a splash in Dr. No, 1962

Bridget "Bikini Babe" Bardot circa 1960's

Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi, 1983

Olympic Swimmer Mark Spitz, 1972

Declare Independence...

Happy July 4th everyone!
Please take a moment today to put down your cocktail
to thank our women and men of the past and present
who have so bravely fought for our freedoms.

Let's also not forget how much we still have to attain. America is a great country, yet we still have a long way to go.
It will be a great day when we can finally celebrate true INDEPENDENCE,
where all women and men are treated equal...

Understanding the Understudy...

Yesterday I went to Gammage Auditorium to see the musical Wicked. After hearing so many wonderful things about this theatrical sensation I was very excited for my matinee performance of the show.

After parking what felt like a thousand miles away, walking in the daytime summer AZ heat in my shirt and tie ensemble, I finally got to the air conditioned theatre. A bit annoyed at the sweat that had formed all over my body, I ordered a cold beer and found a bench to cool down on to read my Playbill.

The second I opened it, however, another annoying thing occurred. Two small little pieces of white paper fell out of the booklet onto the floor. They read: "The roles of Elphaba and Glinda at this performance will be played by blah blah blah blah...." WHAT!!!!!???????? The two lead roles in the show will be played by the freakin' understudies? That's what I get for attending the fucking matinee. DAMN!

The beer lasted 2 minutes, partially due to needing a thirst quench, yet mostly due to the fact that I was not satisfied with this understudy nonsense. The doors opened, the lights went down, and the show began...

From the moment the two understudies walked on stage and began to sing, a huge amount of guilt filled my heart. These bitches brought it! I regret any negative energy I put out into the world regarding the "understudy situation" at my performance of Wicked.

The lesson I learned from this is that no matter how much of a spotlight you may have or whether or not your name is the one in lights, everything we do in life has "supporting cast members", "technical crew", and "understudies". Let's not underestimate the little people in our lives who work just as hard as the names on the marquee.

The Imagination Mover...

My sister was cleaning out the fish tank at her house the other day when my nephew Jack came up to her and asked, "Can our fish do flips?" "Flips!? No honey, he can't do flips," she replied. Then, very matter-of-factly Jack stated, "Well Uncle Stacey's fish is better than ours because it can jump out of the water and do flips."

1-I DO NOT OWN a fish.
2-A child's mind is an INCREDIBLE thing.

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

~Henry David Thoreau

It's a Zoo Out There...

Like many other Philadelphia landmarks and institutions, the Philadelphia Zoo is an American first. The charter establishing the Zoological Society of Philadelphia was approved and signed on March 21, 1859. Due to the Civil War, however, it was another 15 years before America's first zoo was ready to open. The Zoo opened its gates on July 1, 1874 (135 years ago)! Admission was 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for children, a rate that held for the next half century. The Frank Furness Victorian gates and gatehouses, and the Zoo's location, are the same today as they were on the day it opened.

To honor this historic day in zooology, I want to list my top 5 favorite wild animals and why they mean so much to me:

#1 Mountain Gorillas

Ever since seeing the film Gorilla's In The Mist, I have been fascinated with these majestic and curious creatures. I want to grow up to be come Diane Fossey or Jane Goodall!

#2 Sea Turtles

While snorkling in Maui a few years ago, I spotted a baby sea turtle and swam with it for almost an hour. The most spiritual moment in my life!

#3 King Cobras

Such an intimidating, yet oddly enchanting being. I am fascinated with the mystery andiconography of this incredible seprent, the longest poisonous snake in the world.

#4 Moray Eels

The ugly stepsister of the ocean world. The beady eyes, the sharp fangs, lurking in the dark. Reminds me of myself at times, highly underestimated.

#5 Blue Dolphins

Considered to be amongst the most intelligent and playful of animals. After swimming with these guys with my best friend in Grand Cayman, I recall all of the wonderful memories that he and I have shared in our lives.

*Being a HUGE animal lover, this was a hard list to come up with. I thank my mother (the science teacher) for exposing me to this wonderful wild world at such a young age. My folks let me have so many different animals as a child, which gave me the appreciaton and respect for all the world's creatures*

(please visit http://www.goodzoos.com/arezoos.htm for more information)

__________________________________________________________________

UPDATE!!!

This posting was supposed to hit the web on WEDNESDAY, July 1st. I got a little trigger happy!