It Feels Like A Long Time

Yea–I know it’s been over a month since I wrote here.

This is what I will be doing for the next 7 weeks:

Spotliters will be holding open auditions for “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Monday, February 11 and Tuesday, February 12 at 7:30pm at the Grenloch Community Center (Hurffville-Grenloch Rd., Sewell, NJ 08080).

“Jesus Christ Superstar” is the ground-breaking rock opera from the musical team of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

We need powerful and expressive singers for this show. Please come prepared to sing either a rock or Broadway-style song. Feel free to bring sheet music or a CD (without vocals) if you require accompaniment. Ages 16 and up are welcome.

We are looking for dynamic, energetic individuals with strong vocal skills, and the ability to portray character through song. The show will rehearse at least three nights a week for seven weeks, with performances scheduled for April 4, 5, 11, 12 & 13.

Directed by ME!!!!

My Friend

Mr. Nelse Geary was a friend of mine. I met him was I was about 12 years old. His oldest son (Nelse) and I became best friends. He was a “second” father to me. There are things that I could talk to him about that I could never talk to my father about. He was a proud, opinionated, funny guy that loved to laugh. He had a heart of gold and a bawdy sense of humor. I never saw him turn anyone away from his door. Hell, he left the door unlocked to his house 24/7. Us “kids” would be allowed to come and go as we please any time of the day or night. If we were in trouble, he would do what ever he could to help us out. He had a loud, wonderful, big hearted wife and a large boisterous family of 2 daughters and 5 sons. No matter how old I get, I will always refer to him as Mr. Geary. I never called him Nelse. He was as good to me as he was to his own family. He would help me with car problems, personal problems, and parent problems. He never judged me. He always gave advice. Smart, down home, intelligent, common sense advice.

I used to pop into their house every Christmas Eve. I stopped doing that years ago. Maybe, I should have kept doing that.
In the last 15 years, I haven’t been as close to the Gearys. Mr. Geary passed a few years ago. It was an honor to be one of his pall bearers.

I still get together from time to time with Nelse, Sam, Johnny, or David. And every now and then, I see Danny at Trenton Thunder games. I haven’t seen the girls since Mr. G’s funeral. It’s always like time hasn’t passed when we hang out. We pick up right where we left off, with the ball busting and sarcasm.

If I Coulda Been What I Coulda Been

I Coulda Been Something

This is the first line from a song in the show “Working” It is about regret that in life some of us end up becoming something less that what they wanted to become.

This speaks volumes to be. I regret that I didn’t stay in college. Maybe I would be close to retiring now. Instead, I will be working until someone pulls that old dirt blanket over me.

I sometimes wish that I had focused on something that I liked to do at an early age. Maybe acting, or stand-up comedy, or learning how to play the piano. Or teaching. I like being a salesman, but if you had asked me when I graduated from high school (Go Spartans!) if that was one of my goals–the answer would have been –NO.

I am good at it. I like meeting new people everyday. And if I want a raise, I have to work harder for it. And I love to sell RVs. It is better then selling cars, food, or dry cleaning services. I am excited about being at this new RV dealership.

I am a RV salesman. I AM A RV SALESMAN. AND I AM GODDAMN GOOD AT IT!!!

Maybe I should have been a priest?

Iowa-Schmiowa

I don’t care! I am ready for this election to be over before it starts. Why can’t we have a 6-8 week election cycle like the UK does instead of it being 4 years. Some of these people started running 4 years ago!!! And now we will have 11 months of intense election hype–and the candidates will be decided by March. Don’t get me wrong–I love watching political programs. And I like seeing how it all ends up–but I would like to see the process become much shorter.

E’nuf said.

Resolutions-NOT!!

When someone asks me “What are your New Years resolutions?”

Here is my answer: I DON”T HAVE ANY

I never make them. This is how I figure it. I am 52 years old. I am not going to change. Now let me tell you what I mean. I try everyday to be a better person. Some days I succeed and some days I don’t. It is an ongoing challenge. I don’t see it as “OK, it’s a new year–let’s all change!”

Some things in my life need to change. OK–I accept that. My diet has to be better because of my condition and general health issues. And I will be starting a new job*–so that is a change. And, it would be nice to have a few bucks left over at the end of NEXT YEAR. So, I guess I have to change my spending habits.

But, this isn’t change for change sake–it is change for the better. Again–to be a better person. Not because it is suddenly 2008.

*Yes–I got a job–I start Jan 14th at Driftwood RV in Egg Harbor Township. Come on down and see me sometime.

Florida is Calling–How Do I Answer?

The older I get-the less I like winter in the Northeast.

We keep talking about moving to Florida, but I just won’t pull the trigger, and I don’t know why.

We don’t have kids-so we won’t have to worry about uprooting them from their friends. I am sure we could find jobs there. And I don’t think it would be to hard to sell our house, if we price it right.

Maybe it’s the hassle of moving. Maybe I would miss my family and friends more then I realize. Maybe it is fear of the unknown. Maybe it’s all of these.

I need to think on this more.

I don’t want to hangup on Florida!

Merry Fish-mas?

Fish is the staple at a Italian Christmas Eve dinner feast. All kinds of fish. Shrimp, clams, salmon, whatever. The most anticipated fish, at least in our family, is the baccala. It’s salted cod. You put it in a big pot of water when you buy it. Then during the week, you drain and refill the water numerous times to get the salt out. Some people put it in salads, or fry it. We like to put it right in the spaghetti sauce. (yes-it’s called sauce not gravy!!)

In the Italian Catholic tradition, Christmas Eve was a fasting from meat day. That’s why you eat fish. Of course, we all married people who don’t like fish, so we also have sausage and meatballs.

The baccala was sweet. The company was fun. And the conversations were loud.

Yep–just like it should be.

No Man Is An Island

People who are dead that influence me everyday:

My mom (big surprise here huh?)

My dad (makes me crazy to this day!)

Uncle Bill  (wish I had more time with him–Love you Billy, Mags and Amy)

Grandmom/Granpop Verducci (make me proud to be Italian/American)

Julie Speeney (a great friend and mentor)

Chris Trovalli (rest in peace my friend)

Grandmom Agin (what a fun lady!)

Walt Disney ( I ain’t the only one)

People who are alive that influence me everyday:

Erin (the best wife in the world)

Martin, Ed, and Ann Marie (siblings-you know why)

Charlotte B. ( Patience, grace, and professionalism)

Mom-in-law Doris and her husband Ralph (the most unselfish people I have ever met)

The people of Tagrel ( warm, friendly, fun)

Cousins and Aunts and Uncles ( If you only knew how important you are to me)

Vacation, Vacation, Vacation

Getting close to leaving for Disney!!

Check out our vacation blog link. We have a web cam up! You can follow us around on vacation. Right now there are some pictures of Erin and two of our dogs (Morgan is the big dog and Elphie is the small one) decorating the Christmas tree.

(Casey is our toy fox terrier in the header picture above–she is the boss!)

Enjoy

5 days until Disney!!!!

Marjorie, Mary, Dolly, Mom

The holidays are approaching. (Like I needed to tell you that.)

I love Christmas–for the most part. The music, the food, the decorations, the good cheer and fellowship, the presents (both giving and receiving), and watching my wife get all excited about the holidays. These are the things that fill my heart with joy.

But, the one thing I miss the most is how my mother used to keep Christmas.

She was full of holiday cheer. She knew how to prepare for the holidays. Anyone that came into our house during the season, left with a present. She always bought extra presents. She would wrap them and put them under the tree with no name on them. Then, if one of us brought someone home for the holidays unexpectantly, she had a present to give to them. She always made sure there was plenty of food, booze, and deserts for everyone. The only time we had a bad Christmas Eve dinner was the year after she passed. We ran out of spaghetti, and the bacalla (cod) was bad. We think that she gave us the whammy because that was the year my father asked his next wife to marry him.

It’s funny, but this week I talked to 2 different people that I hadn’t seen in at least 25 years and both of them had wonderful things to say about my mother. How they remembered how much they liked to talk to her. How much fun they had when they were around my mom. They both made comments about Christmas, and how much they loved coming to our house during that time of year.

I guess when you are in it, you don’t realize what you have until it is gone. My Christmases have never been the same. I’m not saying that they are bad, just different. And every year, I get the feeling that something is missing. I would give anything to walk into that house on 9 Evergreen Lane and see my mom inviting us all in for the holidays. I know my mom would be telling me to not worry about it and to enjoy what I have. But DAMMIT–We should have had more time with her. She should have had more time with us.

Some times I think about all the things she missed and it makes me angry. She never met most of her grandkids, she never saw me get married, (either time). What would she have thought of the choices we made? She would have loved to see how her grandchildren, her nieces and nephews, and her friend’s children have grow to adulthood. And she would have wanted us all to be happy and content.

She should of had a chance to retire and enjoy the last 25 years somewhere warm and sunny. She could have traveled. She loved going to Florida. I often think about how wonderful it would have been to walk around Disney World with her…..

She deserved a better and longer life. She was a smart, funny, personable lady. She could have gone to college. She could have been anything. She was so smart!! And she knew how to make everyone around her comfortable.

Mom–miss you.