What I Learned from Hurricane Sandy

First off, much love and thoughts go out to those who were affected by Sandy.

Second, here’s what I learned from Sandy:

1. The howl of the wind is pretty frightening.

2. Always have extra snacks because it never fails. The craving and necessity of Cherry Garcia and Funyons at 1am is undying.

3. My sweet haven, Rockaway Beach, has been damaged. Maybe having a bungalow out there isn’t such a good idea.

4. Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Christie have two very different styles of leadership.

5. When the feeling of stir crazy starts to set in, just open the window for 5 minutes.

6. Thank god for the internet and cell phones. For those who think technology is the devil, those were back-up resources to landlines that were down.

7. I am happy I live on a hill and will remember that when I walk home in disgust.

8. New Yorkers are resilient.

9. When times are tough, the outpouring of love and support exists.

10. If there was ever a doubt of something bigger than us, hmmm, I’d say this hurricane reminded us.

by Categories: Hurricane Sandy 1 Comment

One Year Anniversary of Malinism

And in that year I have learned so much as an artist and as me.   Many thanks for your comments and thoughts. They are great!

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EstroGenius Festival opens next month. If you are in the NYC area, check us out. Info is below:

Who Says 13 Isn’t Lucky?
EstroGenius, the month-long celebration of female voices,
celebrates its 13th year with fresh faces and a new home

The New York Times raved that EstroGenius “lives up to its billing as a celebration of women’s work”

Manhattan Theatre Source presents EstroGenius, a multi-week event including short plays, solo shows, music, visual art, dance, teen performances, and stand-up comedy. The entirely volunteer-run festival is created by a team of committed producers, great scripts, inspired directors, talented actors, magical designers, competent stage managers, and passionate supporters.

What debuted in 2000 as a two-week festival with a program of ten short plays and music has grown into the largest festival of its kind in New York City. The festival’s mission is to support the development of new works and emerging artists in a variety of disciplines. EstroGenius accepts short play submissions from across the country and around the world, from male and female, gay, straight, transgender, white, black, Latino and Asian artists ranging in age from twelve to eighty years old.

The EstroGenius Festival – November 8th to December 1st, 2012

12 short-plays presented in three unique programs kick off the festival on November 8th.

The women of Sola Voce, a series of solo performances, take the stage from November 9th to November 26th.

Women in Motion (WiM) presents two premieres on November 14th and 17th: Permission to Fail by 2013 NYLA Studio Series Artist Laurie Berg, with collaborator Bessie McDonough-Thayer and I Would by 2012 Field Fund awardee, Rachel Cohen. Selected by WiM producers, Melissa Riker, Amber Sloan, Esther Palmer and Anne Zuerner for their unique interests in rhythm, theatricality, props, and absurdity, these refreshing dance artists have shown they are not afraid to tackle the unknown.

Stand-up for Estro is back for its second season featuring  performances by Marga Gomez on November 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, and 30th.

GirlPower, a presentation of the spoken word written and performed by girls ages 8 to 21, runs November 10th, 11th, 15th, 16th, and 26th.

Venue

TBG Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, New York

Tickets

Audiences can purchase individual general admission tickets ($18) or packages (from $36 for all three theatre programs to $75 for the entire EstroGenius festival, including music and comedy programs) here: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/dept/895

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Published Poet – Check

As you know I am all about making dreams into reality. When it comes to my own, I usually have to work through the fear, do it and let go. That was the case with my poetry. I love writing poems.

Last summer I faced my fear of writing and reading my poems in a vacuum. I took a poetry class at the Writer’s Studio and slowly found my voice.  It’s in that class that I wrote and worked on Catamarans.It reflects one of the happiest moments of my life – the celebration of my 5th wedding anniversary in the Dominican Republic in 2007. GOOD TIMES! When I received an email from Newtown Literary about accepting submissions for the launch of their inaugural issue, I figured I just have to do it. Just to do it. No hopes.  My goal was to face the fear of sending the poem to the magazine.  So I uploaded it, fretted for a bit, then hit send and ran away from the computer.

Then I totally forgot about it until I received my acceptance 3 months later.

It’s funny but I had the same fear when I wrote my first blog entry almost a year ago. The same thing happened as with the poem.  And I have come to love writing this blog. If anything, I think it has allowed me to tap into me.

The issue debuts in the late Fall.  As with any artistic endeavor, Newtown Literary is accepting contributions. Their campaign is called Sponsor-a-Contributor (that’s me!).  This will help  in covering the printing costs of the journal and developing operational funds as we continue on to the Spring 2013 issue.

Please Check it out: http://fundly.com/ercjdqff.

by Categories: Uncategorized 2 Comments

Are You Who You Say You Are?

Maya Angelou says  “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

People are who they say they are.  I am a follower of Thoughts Become Things. Whether those thoughts are positive or negative, they do manifest into reality.  As of late, I have noticed meanness for the sake of being mean, rude, and proud. Being nasty or mean to others doesn’t make you look cool. As a matter of fact,  one of two things will happen:

1. Other nasty people will love you and your life will just continue to bloom in this negative aura or 2. you will be alone because no one will want to hang out with you.

Sometimes there is a fun factor to being around people like this.  They say the thoughts in your head that remain an inner monologue. However, as someone who tries not be like this anymore,  I have become uber sensitive when it happens around me or to me.  Especially if it comes out of left field.  So,  I have to take note if someone is dismissive. I have to think about whether I need to be in that person’s presence  if someone is rude and hurtful. I also have to absorb the purpose of someone strikes with one remark . Then I remind myself that I should always think before I speak : “does it need to be said” and “do I need to say it”. Once I take these situations under consideration, I know I just probably saved myself a ton of aggravation and self-imposed turmoil.

I personally don’t think it is cool to label one’s self with a negative term.  I find that it diminishes the best parts while highlighting the worst parts.

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Check out my other project with the EstroGenius Festival. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays of October,  the staff of the festival answer the Estro 5. I am really proud of how this came together! Tickets are also available.

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Rant III: There’s No Need for Condescension

I wrote the rant, thought I saved it but alas, I did not.

The gist of the post was that it is so unnecessary to be condescending. The tone of your voice doesn’t sound nice. You come off very arrogant. You sound mean and a bit elitist.  I have been the recipient of this over the last month. Though your truly has been guilty of this in the past, I have really tried to make a concerted effort to restrain from saying what doesn’t need to be said or what shouldn’t be said. I also know myself very well, so if I have been condescending, I probably said I was being condescending. Anyhow, the worst part of condescension is the holier than thou attitude and lack of compassion.

So, instead of responding with patronization, I take a moment and think about another way of responding that isn’t biting or dehumanizing. I take the assertive approach rather than the aggressive. There’s a time and place for everything. I just pause and play out the situation.

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Check out my other project with the EstroGenius Festival. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays of October,  the staff of the festival answer the Estro 5. I am really proud of how this came together!

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A Birthday Post (and thank you!)

Ian and I are celebrating our birthday today. We have shared our birthday for the last 14 years. It’s interesting as I had a resentment about it for about 5 years. I took issue with not having a holiday all to myself…which in retrospect is pretty egotistical and sh****y. So I apologize to Ian for feeling that way. I am not that person anymore. I love that we share this special day and that our parents can relish in it together. It’s nice to get those calls and emails all at once (HI DADDY)! We personally get a kick out of the weather that day. It was windy at 3:30am when Ian decided to make his grand entrance and it rained at 1:3opm when I decided to make front page news!

This morning I thought to myself how easy it is to share a birthday. We don’t have to celebrate on different days. Our families can send two birthday cards at once. Our friends can send us beautiful posts at the same time. Luckily, we have similar tastes so we both wanted to see Motley Crue and KISS on Saturday. Plus we were both gung ho about going in make-up. Next month we are seeing Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson because we want to not because we feel obligated to each other.  AND Ian was psyched that I wanted my version of surf and turf for dinner tonight (I opt for shrimp rather than lobster).

So I would like to thank everyone who sent us cards, texts, emails, and Facebook love! Please know that we read every one of those posts. Much love to all of you!

Happy Birthday, Ian. Here’s to a whole lotta more…so much a lot. xoxoxoxo

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Courage! What makes a king out of a slave?

L’Shana Tova, friends. I love new years because that means a fresh start. And since there’s many of them within our calendar year, who says we have to wait until the usual January 1st. We can start making changes now like facing…fear.

So… I saw the pic on the right on Facebook and nearly choked.  And then received this in my in box yesterday morning and had to stop and think:            ” Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”  And then read one and sighed: Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.~Mark Twain

Okay. What’s the message I am receiving this week? To watch The Wizard of Oz? To dig deep within my soul and psyche? That I have fears? Ugh…not one to put  my insecurities and fears on display, the Facebook pic hit home because it is true.  I have jokingly  said that I look good on paper.  When we write our resumes, go on interviews, meet people for the first time, we are most certainly showing our highlight reel. It takes a ton of courage to essentially say  “Here’s the best of me and why you want to know me, become my best friend, maybe be fortunate enough to get close enough to hear my deep dark secrets!” However, how often to we really open up and share what’s really happening in our lives.  A friend of mind once made a comment that I have it all together. I had to laugh because no one goes home with me at night.  No one truly knows what goes on behind closed doors in anyone’s life. For me, I have to live in the present and not let my insecurities and fears derail me.

I personally think that courage is moving through fear.  One of my biggest fears is failure. I removed failure out of my vocabulary because I was giving the word too much power.  Once I removed failure as a default, I was able to accomplish what I wanted to do.  Especially as an artist. This is a business where FAILING is told to you over and over.  Now I just do what I want to do and if it doesn’t work out, at least I know I had the courage to try.

I guess my lesson of the week is to face some fears of which I may not be aware. And to watch The Wizard of Oz!

What’s your fear? Who’s brave enough to post a comment?!

The Wizard of Oz Poster

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In Gratitude

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The city is quiet and thoughtful today. Respectful. Reflective.

Beneath the buildings, the grit, the bawdiness lies bedrock.  Billions of years old.  The core of the city and earth.

Under the surliness, sass, the crassness lies humility,  compassion,  allegiance.

A dichotomy.
A paradox.
New York City.

My hometown.

Me.

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Join the EstroGenius Evolution!

A year ago, I had the opportunity to work with an amazing theater company, Manhattan Theatre Source. I directed Elizabeth Irwin’s Origin with Joane Cajuste and Nick Radu for their Estrogenius Festival. I had passed their home on 177 MacDougal for about a decade not knowing that they were there. Everything happens for a reason because clearly, I wasn’t supposed to walk into their doors or they weren’t supposed to welcome me with open arms until last year. Fast forward to now. I am not directing this time but am their Marketing Director for their 13th Year!!! One of my early posts was about them losing their home on MacDougall. Instead of giving up, these Estrobabes pushed harder and worked diligently to make sure that the female artist is heard and seen. We hear so much about the Fringe and other festivals here in NYC but EstroGenius is a special kind of festival. All volunteers. All doing this for the passion of theater… Below is the information regarding our current campaign. We have 6 weeks to raise $65o0! Please join us in the evolution 🙂

EstroGenius is a month-long celebration of female voices. What debuted in 2000 as a two-week festival with a program of ten short plays and music has grown into a multi-week event including short plays, solo shows, music, visual art, dance, teen performances, and stand-up comedy. It’s the largest, most inclusive festival of its kind in New York City and we’re excited to be in our 13th year! 

The festival’s mission is to support the development of new works and emerging artists in a variety of disciplines. We accept short play submissions from across the country and around the world, from male and female, gay, straight, transgender, white, black, Latino and Asian artists ranging in age from twelve to eighty years old. Production decisions are tempered by the knowledge that diverse contributions strengthen our artistic integrity. Similarly, directors, designers, actors and others are pulled from all walks of life and the subject matters addressed span sexual and cultural boundaries.

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Specificity (or What I Have Learned from My Infusions)

I learned this term about 5 months ago when I was sitting with my consultant, Michael Roderick. Simply, he is a problem solver who also produces and loves theater as much as I do.  We were discussing about a certain frustration I was feeling. I felt pretty lost and not sure what to do. In this instance, it was regarding theater. Writers have writers block. Producers and directors go through the same thing. And then we are upset that we are stuck or burnt out because we have created in our heads that we are lucky to create. It’s a vicious cycle. Anyway, what I realized is that I have been really lacking some specificity. For example, I want to do everything in addition to my very specific goals. I soon found out weren’t very specific. 

I began my steroid infusions this week to maintain the flair ups of my Multiple Sclerosis. I got really lucky as all my appointments are at 8:00am. That means I have about an hour or so to sit, infuse and reflect. I realized that I should really start being more speficific in all aspects of my life. I have moments when I am all over the place wanting to accomplish everything but at times still feeling unfulfilled. This diagnosis has helped me step back and look at all I have done and what I want to do. For example, deciding which area of theater best serves me and what will be the next big goal; how can I continue to be of service  others to the best of my abililties; what seemed impossible or a dream is slowly becoming a gift which I am truly enjoying.

Being unspecific doesn’t mean one can’t find one’s self but rather narrowing down what speaks to you the most. What do you find yourself always going back to that causes you to light up? What makes you smile? What tugs at your heart and soul?

I am in an enlightened mindset this week. I have so been enjoying the early morning me time while I begin to feel better. I guess this diagnosis is a gift.  I need to look it that way right now…then cry about it later…and contiinue on.

by Categories: Multiple Sclerosis, Theater, UncategorizedTags: 5 Comments