High School Reunion

Ah, the high school reunion. For years I’ve watched movies and shows about them, and lo and behold, mine finally came. I had to come to the startling realization that I have been out of high school for ten years and sadly, no longer 18. Yes, this past Saturday, the mighty Walter Johnson High School class of 1996 got together and reunited. Alas, no one claimed to have invented post-its.

This was a very informal occasion at the Sapphire Café in Bethesda. About 100 fellow Wildcats came, many with their spouses or significant others. It was interesting to see all the different directions we’ve gone, considering we all were in the same place with similar experiences. The popular career choice is Lawyer. The popular locations are New York and Baltimore.

There were a few people I didn’t recognize, but many who haven’t changed a single bit since high school. It was great to see a high turnout from my elementary school. I feel so fortunate to still keep in touch with friends I’ve had since I was a little tyke. And it seems no matter how much time passes, when we get together it always feels like no time has gone by at all.

It was great to see Gene, Jon, Josh, Julian, Sang, Phil and April among others. And of course, I always value any time I get to spend with Karen, Jamie, Rose, Matt, Nat and Sarah. I am truly blessed to have friends like these.

I was never the prettiest or smartest or most athletic or most popular in high school. Talking to my fellow classmates, I realized how happy I am of who I have become and what I have accomplished in these past 10 years. I didn’t dread this reunion at all, rather, I embraced it.

The reunion was a lot of fun. Thanks again to Tulasi, Laura and Elana for organizing it. See you at the 20th!

Here are a couple of pics from the big evening:

Karen, Els, Nathalie


Sarah, Els, Lori


Els, Jon, Gene, Nathalie


Quote of the Day:
"The only good ideas are the ones I can take credit for." -R. Stevens

Roddy Piper Health Update

This was on Roddy Piper's website this morning:

Mr. Piper and his family would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support of well wishes he has recieved world wide. Roddy has been diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer. He will begin his battle against this cancer immediately.

The following is a statement from Mr. Piper;

“It seems like I have been fighting someone, something, someplace, in some manner, my whole life. But this fight, is one I am gonna win!”

Ever Forward,

Roddy Piper

wwe.com had the following statement:

WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Also known as Hodgkin’s disease, Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a form of cancer found in the body’s lymphatic tissue. The lymphatic system helps filter out bacteria and is important in fighting diseases.

Piper was sent home early from WWE’s early-November tour of the United Kingdom and hospitalized for surgery, where doctors removed a mass at the spinal cord with an enlarged lymph node. The mass was completely removed, but the lymph node was positive for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Radiation therapy is used to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma; it is an extremely successful procedure, so the prognosis is very good for Piper.

***

Obviously I am very saddened and concerned about him. I can only hope he has a good team of doctors giving him the best possible care. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

Quote of the Day:
"In the end, you'll know which people really love you. They're the ones who see you for who you are and, no matter what, always find a way to be at your side." --Randy K. Milholland

Ben Folds

When I got to the Hammerstein Ballroom at 6pm yesterday, I expected the line to be long. What I didn’t expect was to standing a block away from the venue. Not surprisingly, I am not the only one who loves the musical stylings of Ben Folds.

In front of me was a father with his two children, probably in their mid- and early teens. The father was one of the most anxious people I have ever seen. Every 5 minutes he was commenting on the line and how long it was. He would keep leaving the line and walking to the end of it, just to see how much longer it had gotten in the last 5 minutes. His kids, much more rational that he, kept telling him to calm down, but were not successful. When the line did begin to move, he was so paranoid that someone was going to cut in front of him. My only thought through all of this was, “Please don’t have them anywhere near me during the show.”

The last time I was at the Hammerstein Ballroom was about a year a half ago when Jenn and I were on the floor to see the Black Crowes. After standing on my feet for 5 hours and thinking amputation was a reasonable remedy for the way my feet felt afterwards, I knew that the floor was not an option ever again. I bought a ticket for the second mezzanine, which was not only a cheaper ticket, but provided me with an actual seat.

I get up to the second mezzanine and have a plethora of seats to choose from. I get a front, obstruction-free view, sit and wait. And wait. And wait. Another thing I learned is that if one does not have a standing general admission ticket on the floor, there is no reason to get there right when the doors open at 6:30. Since I went to the show alone, I brought a book with me to pass the time and that was a good decision. The people on the floor were on their feet for an hour and a half before the opening act, Corn Mo, came on.

Corn Mo was crazy. But he used his craziness for good instead of evil. He is a very talented musician and the crowd was really into him. He played for 20 fun-filled minutes before heading off. So the floor people get 20 minutes of music during 2.5 hours of standing before Ben Folds comes on the stage.

Ben Folds is awesome. It is amazing how much talent, originality and innovation he has. That, and I’ve always been a sucker for piano players. I knew most of the songs, but even the ones I didn’t, he kept my interest and made me what to know more about the song. He is a natural storyteller and had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He had a red synthesizer on a small piano bench next to him, and used it at all the right moments. At times he would play the synthesizer with one hand and the piano with the other, not missing a single note. My favorite part of the evening was the back-to-back playing of the Dr. Dre classic, “Bitches Ain’t Shit”, and then going into my favorite Ben Folds song, “Landed”. Among the other highlights: “Zak and Sara”, “There’s Always Someone Cooler Than You”, “Not the Same”, “Annie Waits” and “One Down”. He played a solid 2-hour show. After the show, I arose from my plush seat and walked out of the Ballroom, while most of the standing room floor people were limping from being on their feet for almost 5 hours.

It really was a fantastic evening. So if Ben Folds comes to your town, definitely take the time out to check him out. You’ll be glad you did.

Quote of the Day:
"It was funny, she thought, that people would like her would rather be alone that put themselves in a potentially awkward situation, even though the risk could turn out to be rewarding." -Alexandra Robbins, "The Overacheivers"

Step One, Kick, Turn

I have been a Broadway baby as of late. I have seen 3 shows in recent weeks with a fourth to come soon.

First up was Twyla Tharp's interpretation of Bob Dylan's music, "The Times They are A-Changin'". I was a huge fan of her last show, "Movin' Out" featuring the music of Billy Joel. I am a Bob Dylan fan so hoping this show would be more of the same. Sadly, it was not.

Like Movin' Out, there was no dialogue, only dance. The theme of the show was the circus. I have a well documented fear of clowns and mimes, so when a plethora of clowns and mimes come on stage, I am a bit freaked out. But after a couple of songs, I am able to move past the clowns and move on. The story structure was very loose, so after awhile, I just tried to see it as individual choreography for each song. The dancing was fantastic and they cast were truly talented performers, just not enough to maintain a whole show. Some songs (The Times They are A-Changin', Mr. Tambourine Man) worked well in the Broadway style. Others (Maggie's Farm, Masters of War) did not. I guess the paying theatre-goers agreed with me, since the show is closing after only 23 performances.

A couple of days later I was back on the Great White Way to see a play by the Manhattan Theatre Club called Losing Louie. The "stars" were Cousin Larry from "Perfect Strangers" (Mark-Linn Baker) and the Guy Who Played Rory's Teacher In The First Season Of Gilmore Girls (Scott Cohen). It had a Noises Off-kinda feel to it. It involved two brothers coming to terms with their father's death and also flashbacks of the father's life. It was an enjoyable play...which has also closed.

One show that I don't expect to close anytime soon is the revival of the classic musical, A Chorus Line. I loved A Chorus Line and cannot recommend it enough. The cast, the music, the dancing, everything meshed and each number was better than the last. The only downside, is that there is not intermission in the 2 hour show. Squirming in my seat for the last half hour aside, it was well worth it. Stand-out's were Jessica Lee Goldyn's "Val" and Deidre Goodwin's Shiela. The show is so simple, yet does so much. Go see it, watch it and you'll thank me.

Quote of the Day:
"If you don't think it's fun to be able to submit an expense report requesting reimbursement for a golf club made from the sexual organ of a bull, then you frankly don't know what fun is." -Dave Barry

48 Hours

This has been a very interesting couple of days. Thursday started innocently enough. While procrastinating at work, I decided to look into taking my long-desired trip to Cleveland to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I found a good, cheap flight and a hotel that had an excellent package deal with the museum. I get home, all excited to book my late-December trip to one of the United States' coldest cities. I go for my wallet and realize it's not there. I check all around my room, and my wallet is nowhere to be found. Then, the mass panic sets in, though trying my best to remain calm. I cancel everything I need to and cover all the bases I can. Everything was in my wallet, and feel so exposed. Needless to say, I get little sleep. I'm actually eager to get to work, hoping and praying that my wallet is there. I get there, and sadly, no wallet. I then make a trip back to the 'Boken to do a final ransacking of my room, to no avail. I make my maiden voyage to the Hoboken Police Station and file a report. I go back to work, breathing a little bit easier, but still bummed.

That evening Erin and I go to 192 Books for an Annie Leibovitz book signing. I have been a major Annie Leibovitz fan for years. The celebrity photography of her and Herb Ritts are staples of my childhood. I had gotten her American Music book a few years ago, and saw an exhibit at the Corcoran in Washington, DC as well. She just came out with a new book that chronicles the last 15 years: A Photographer's Life / 1990-2005. As excited I was to see her, the even itself was probably the most disorganized I have ever been to. When we get to the bookstore, we are told the event is actually being held at a gallery down the street. OK. We get to the gallery and asked if we have a reservation. Neither New York magazine or Time Out New York, both publicizing the event, made no mention of reservations. Instead of making two lines - one with reserved seats and one without, it was like a poor man's Studio 54, with people bunching around a tiny door, while people who do have reservations push to the front. Of course we all get in; no harm, no foul. It started with a slideshow, then a panel discussion and a Q&A. After much confusion about the book signing line, I finally get my book signed. Overall, a lot of waiting, but in the end, worth it.

I slept well, accepting the lost wallet fiasco. Nothing was going to keep my excitement down. Because I was going to have yet another encounter with my True Love, Roddy Piper. I go down to Caroline's on Broadway. The event was sponsored by Jakks Pacific, the company responsible for all the wrestling action figures. Before getting to the only reason why I came, I had to sit through a Q&A with Jakks representatives about the action figures. Yes, grown men were asking questions like, "When the Rick Martel figure comes out, will it be the Strike Force Rick Martel or the Model Rick Martel?" And like the comic book convention, I was the prettiest person there -- by far. Roddy is announced and comes out. Still handsome and my heart goes a-flutter. The Q&A was interesting. It was nice to see him in a relaxed atmosphere. I didn't ask a question because I couldn't find a balance between Stupid-Obvious and Trekkie. For the most part, the questions veered toward Trekkie. I had heard a few stories before, but also some new ones. He was very candid, articulate and witty. He even said my most favorite quote, "Just when you think you have the answers, I change the questions." He also spoke of Ric Flair, Bret Hart and the biz today. The whole thing lasted an hour, but I wish it could have lasted longer. There was a photo and autograph session, but I didn't stay. I am content with my photo and got with him, and the one item I wanted signed in June. Below is a picture, but with the dimly lit room, it didn't come out all that well:



I was happy as can be coming home. Any time I can spend in the same room with Roddy brings me tremendous joy. I get home and go through my mail. Bill, bill, Entertainment Weekly, and a mysterious package with no return address. I open it to find MY WALLET. Some good-hearted saint of a New Yorker sent me back my wallet, with absolutely everything in tact. I was beyond elated. Someone is definitely looking over me. A good, good day.

Quote of the Day:
"Too few people understand a really good sandwich." - James Beard