Saturday, March 19, 2005

Gentle Way Midwest and Gentle Way East posing after a workout. (Dad, Nick, Me, Uncle Roland) 

My mind is clearer now...

I think it's safe to say I'm back... I think. Sure enough, as soon as I say that I'll probably go on some hiatus again. Thanx to Carissa I signed up to this Hello program and it makes putting up pictures a LOT easier than before. As you can see I just threw up a picture from the judo workout when my cousin and uncle came out from Michigan. SO, needless to say, you'll probably see a few more pictures up on this here blog...

The acting bug is back in full swing. The Passion Play kicks off tonight and goes all next week until Good Friday. Hard to believe that the show is already here... the other day my mom pointed out an interesting parallel. I'm playing the role of John the Apostle. My grandfather name was John. Speaking of him, the services for him where not what I expected. Yes it was upsetting and I caught myself several times trying to fight back the tears. But there was a calming too. Here he was totally peaceful... it was almost releving. My uncles and I painted a picture in our minds of Grandpa and my Uncle Gigi playing bocci ball while my Aunt Connie was cooking in the kitchen. MAN! I can so picture that. The volumes of people that showed up was also breath-taking. Nick, Johnny... if you guys could have seen it. Not that I'm really surprised... but it just reiterates how many lives Grandpa touched.

I have a confession. I broke down. First there was the time I broke down and bought a cell phone. Now... after my long weekend in NYC: My name is Tony. And I bought an IPOD. So three hours and 1.41 Gigabytes later I have been wasting my life to my new purchase. And you know what I want to do today? I'm planning on going to the Apple Store in West Farms to BUY MORE STUFF FOR MY IPOD. Borderline pathetic.

UConn moves on... I don't know how happy I am with the first win, but I'll take it. Definitely some sloppy play in the 2nd half. But without Antonio "I like to run my mouth because I'm a freakin dork" Kellogg, they have to adjust quickly. Notable wins yesterday... BUCKNELL?!?!?! Good news for UConn. Most of the people at work had UConn losing to Kansas. OOPS!! Guess that's not going to happen. Then you have VERMONT?!?!? TO THE BIG EAST CHAMPIONS???? Freakin pathetic Syracuse. Two years ago you win the National Championship, this year you win the Big East Championship, and you lose to........ VERMONT?!?! I just threw up in my mouth. Dorks.

So it's 12:10pm tip off tomorrow against the Wolfpack of NC State. We better come out guns-a-blazin. I want the UNC vs. UConn rematch in Syracuse. Don't let me down.

Time to get going... Hope to see some of the Naugatuckers tonight at the show.

Take me now, before I change my mind...

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

I found my thrill, on Blueberry Hill...

I could very easier start off this post on a sour note. But I refuse to do so. Rather... Let's approach this from a different perspective.

My Grandfather was a wonderful human being. He is the reason I am here today. He brought 7 children into this world with my Grandmother. Through the marriages of their 7 children, he had 13 Grandchildren... And in addition of those 13 grandchildren he also had 6 Great Grandchildren (I think I did all of the math right). Needless to say, he was a blessed man with many gifts. Someone of that caliber does not deserve to live in the pain he was living in. Someone of that caliber is needed elsewhere... hence, on this Sunday past, March the 13th, at roughly 6:15am, my Grandfather was called to is family in heaven at 89 years of age.

From the days where him and I would talk about our baseball cards, to the consistent battle between the Yankees and the Red Sox, every memory I have of him is an amazing one. Sunday visits, Christmas parties, birthdays, special occasions...Grandpa carried with him an aura that told you without even looking that he as there. Just ask those that knew him.

Even the past few months have been memorable. No matter how unhealthy Grandpa looked, he was always a smartass (at least now I know where I get it from). He had some classic one liners at the past few Christmas parties. He was even being funny just two weeks ago when my cousin and my uncle came out to visit in February from Michigan. He made comments regarding his workout routine @ the retirement home... asking my cousin what they do with the bloody knives after surgery... JUST to get a reaction. That's Grandpa for you. One moment I will always hold dear was the last thing he and I talked about. I asked him at what age he married my Grandmother. Without hesitation he told me, "We went for 3 years and we were married when I was 24, she was 19." About a month ago, I turned 24. They were married for 65 Years. I understand that it was a different era, but it puts things into prospective when you think about where they were when they were your ago.

So as I approach different stages in my life, I know he'll check up with us from time to time. My Grandfather may not be of this world, but I know he's always looking down on us. Now it wouldn't Grandpa's style to end this post on such a sappy note. That's not his way of doing things. My father told me once, "Always leave them laughing." I'm sure he got that from his father too. So with that in mind, I was thinking about the upcoming baseball season:

I think my Grandfather was one of the FEW individuals that saw the Red Sox win TWO Championships.

(He was 24 years old in this picture.)


John J. Leone, Sr.
Decemeber 15, 1915 - March 13, 2005

I did it My Way...