The Journey is the Reward

2011-05-06T13:49:00.006-04:00

“Is this the end or the beginning?”

I've found myself reading more blogs lately... Granted it's probably because I sitting at a computer 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. But its nice to catch up... almost like catching up with some old friends, meeting new ones. Lots of insight, perspectives, thoughts, opinions, etc...

Amongst the myriad of things that are going on in my life, I wanted to start with a nice and easy post... I surprised Michelle on her birthday back in March, with tickets to AMERICAN IDIOT. I knew it had won a few awards and heard some great things about it. PLUS... I grew up in the Nirvana/Pearl Jam/Green Day era. So take my love of the theatrical stage, add a Green Day themed show... AWESOME. Not only was it a Green Day themed show, BUT, we were catching it on its closing weekend... WHICH for those that followed, was starring BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG. He re-joined the cast for the last few months...

THE SHOW WAS SIIIIIICK!!! In the show I just worked on, RENT, my director spoke VERY highly of the show... in fact, so much so, she tried taking elements of American Idiot into the story lines of RENT. I only wish I had seen American Idiot BEFORE we performed RENT... but then again, if I did then perhaps I wouldn't have been able to see Billie Joe in the cast. So I'll take seeing the show post-RENT.

Maybe people relate this show to the 'RENT' of our generation. It's funny, I mean, you listen to American Idiot at face value, its a good album. But then you see some of the themes acted out on stage and it opens up a WHOLE new world. And it's a one way street... I can't just listen to American Idiot anymore. The songs have much deeper meaning. And for those that weren't able to see the broadway show, I challenge you to read some of the lyrics. I'm sure most critics would dismiss Green Day because of the punk, out-of-control type of rock feel... but its almost like a wake up call. I'm not going to go through the lyrics and break down what I feel the song's meaning is... you can do that on your own. But, these guys have come a long way... and who would've thought such an album could've come from a bunch of punk rockers from the earlier 90s...

I snagged a few images online, but as you can see, the show is visually INTENSE. The limitless energy that each actor exhibits is amazing. I mean, these are Green Day songs... and if you ever say Billie Joe live, you can imagine that energy in almost EVERY song.

The day also including using an app on Michelle's phone to find featured restaurants all around NYC. Famous Food... an app that you CAN use online, but it's more meant for a mobile device. It finds your location and gives you all of the nearby restaurants that were featured on a food show. Man vs. Food, Triple D, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Food Wars, The Best Thing I Ever Ate... its FANTASTIC. The day was full of donuts, walking around the city, stopping off at THE Life Cafe in NYC, featured in the show RENT, American Idiot, Sloppy Joes, Salted caramel shakes, Mini kobe beef burgers, rare beers, and ended with a concert performance by the Smith Street Stage Company's version of Jesus Christ Superstar. So proud to see my friends up there doing there thing... people including my sister Beth, very good friend Ruark, and others from college. The show was AWESOME... and I got to see it, not ONLY with my beautiful girlfriend, but my cousins Kate, Kelly and Sara came into the city too!!

And it was raining all day... but didn't even phase us. :)

2009-11-13T11:02:00.006-05:00

You just tell me when you think you're ready...

Yeah it's been a while, blobby blob blob. October came and went... and here we are almost at the end of November. Believe it or not, I have been blogging - just more on the beer blog: BEER411. Check it out if you have a chance! To help gain a little momentum, I'm seeing if anyone out there would like to write a review of a beer that happens to spark your senses. Yeah, the idea of the blog itself came from my cousin Kate and me, but WE'RE FOR THE PEOPLE!! Haha... but seriously if there's something out there that you are curious about - we'd be happy to review it... or if you like to do your own "research" go for it and send in your results!

October was jam packed - Michelle finished up Wedding Singer at the Thomaston Opera House during the first weekend... 2nd weekend was the Monty Are I CD Release party in Providence... then she opened Rocky Horror for 3 weekends down at the Warner Theatre. My schedule was full of Weddings and Marching Band competitions. My good friend Lyndsey Ellis got married the first weekend up in Keene, NH... What a sight. Lyndsey husband, Christian is from South America so the festivities were FULL of culture. We had a great time and danced up a storm with the live band. You know, there are some people in your life where you retain a connection like none other. I honestly haven't been the best at keeping in touch with my friends that were at this wedding (including Lynds). But once I saw them, we all picked up where we last saw each other. We had so much fun it's hard to describe.

And for the last 4 weekends, I was immersed in the Wonderful World of Marching Bands. But after weeks of hard work... the kids can hang their hat two great accomplishments: USSBA Class V Open Connecticut State Champions & Second Place in Class V Open at the All States Championships in Allentown, PA. The season goes by so quickly every year... and I have to admit, this is the toughest class to see Graduate.

What's next... BEER411 has officially shifted to the WINTER SEASON!! Yeah, it's a little early, but that's what the stores are carrying now! Time to turn the pallet to the dark varieties out there. So be on the lookout - and if you want something reviewed or want to review something yourself, LET US KNOW!!!

As for shows... I'm still stuck in my rut. Work has to be my priority right now. But there are some GREAT shows coming up:

Forever Plaid
January 2010
Thomaston Opera House

The Full Monty
February 6, 2010-February 13, 2010
Warner Theatre

Glengarry Glen Ross
February 19, 2010-February 28, 2010
Thomaston Opera House (Studio)

They are a ways off... but definitely on the mind since auditions are being held this month. I'll get back on stage some day. Just have to wait this part out. The good news is that I hope to play trumpet in the pit orchestra of Full Monty. I definitely miss playing trumpet so this will give me a great outlet. The soundtrack is really big band sounding so I'm excited - hopefully it'll all work out.

As far as life goes - PRESTO as some of you know, is currently on the chopping block. She's been a great car - but it's time to get something with better gas mileage and I couldn't pass up this deal. She'll be around until the Monday of Thanksgiving - then she'll be someone else's. We've been through a lot of crazy times together! Sad to see her go... but she'll be great for whomever buys her!

TGIF!!! Have a great weekend everyone!!

2009-10-08T10:38:00.005-04:00

Happy Chucktober!!

So I have a Chuck Norris calendar at my desk at work... FULL of Chuck Norris'isms. One of our editors here has a book that has over 400 Chuck Norris myths and its absolutely hysterical. The other day when I listed one as my status on Facebook, people started listing THEIR favorites... here's a recap:

Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch, he decides what time it is.
Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.
Chuck Norris destroyed the Periodic Table of Elements, because he only recognizes the element of SURPRISE.
Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups....he pushes the Earth down.
When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
Superman has a pair of Chuck Norris pajamas.
Chuck Norris is the reason Waldo is hiding.
Chuck Norris slams revolving doors.
Chuck Norris carries a flashlight,...NOT becasuse he afraid of the dark. It is because the dark is AFRIAD of Chuck Norris.

Wedding Singer was a tremendous success... I know you are probably tired of hearing me say this but, Congrats to the cast and crew on an awesome show. Seeing everyone up on stage and behind the scenes makes me want to get on stage now more than ever. Now, that it's all done with, Michelle is focus on her next project... The Rocky Horror Show. This production is going up at the Warner Studio Theatre and from what I hear, it's going to be off the freakin' wall. I've seen parts of the movie... but something tells me that this will be like no show I've ever been at. Audience participation kits?? This could be nutty... and just yesterday, I got an email blast from the Cambridge House Brewery promoting their annual Halloween party. (FYI: The Cambridge House Brewery is NEXT DOOR to the theatre.) Let's see... Halloween Party at Cambridge 6p-12p... Rocky Horror Show at Midnight... oh nelly. The fixins for an AWESOME night.

Of course Marching Band is rolling along... luckily I missed out on the chaos that was last week. Tornado warnings... downpours... indoor competitions... fire alarms... it was like the freakin' Apocalypse from what I heard. Hopefully this week will be better... we have a BIG show coming up with our neighbors in Cheshire. Always a good time... only 4 competitions to go!!!

And the REASON I wasn't at last week's competition was because I had the pleasure of attending my dear friend Lyndsey's wedding up in Keene, NH. Her husband, Christian, is an awesome guy too. The wedding ceremony was moving to say the least as Lyndsey's dad gave his usual amazing sermons. However seeing that he was speaking on behalf of his own daughter made things that much more close to home. Needless to say, there wasn't a dry eye in the house when he was done. Then, the reception was a blast!! Live music... dancing... with a lot of the old crew. Great times had by all... Congrats Lyndsey and Christian!!

And as if there wasn't enough going on... tomorrow Michelle and I along with a few friends are off to our buddy's CD Release party up at the Lupos in Providence. These guys were actually one of the first things that Michelle and I found in common over a year ago. She was friend's with the drummer Justin at UHart, and I was good buddies with his twin brother Ryan up at UConn. Small world!! So, if you haven't already - download Monty Are I latest album Break Through The Silence on iTunes!!

Here's a little sneak preview of what's to come:

2009-09-25T09:37:00.005-04:00

'Wedding Singer' shines at Opera House

Congrats to the Cast and Crew of THE WEDDING SINGER at the Thomaston Opera House on their 5 STAR REVIEW!!! In the wake of everything that is happening at the TOH this could not have come at a better time. While my gf Michelle has been at WS rehearsals, I have heard over and over how hard these guys were working, day in and day out. I thoroughly enjoyed the show when I saw it last week, and NOW the critics have spoken. All of their hard work has paid off and they have a 5 star review to hang their hats on. BRAVO!!!

If you are interested in going, please visit the Thomaston Opera House website or call the TOH Box Office at (860) 283-6250 (Hrs are Monday thru Saturday from 1:00pm until 6:00pm. Online* ticket sales are available 24 hours a day!)

Ohhh Nelly... did I mention that I love this time of year?! If not for the beer season, one HAS to get excited about local festivals... most importantly - THE BIG E!! Now, most people have been raised on going to this foodie fest since they were little. Me? Nope. Last year was the FIRST year I went... maybe I'm just trying to make up for lost time perhaps. But last week Michelle asked if I would mind using one of the comp days towards a mini one day vaca up at the Big E. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a day. Luckily this year, we decided to go during the middle of the week, as opposed to going @ Noon on Saturday; or ANY time during the weekend for that matter. If you don't time it right, you will spend hours... YES HOURS, in traffic. Mich and I went this past Tuesday and there were still TONS of people. She's been really busy with shows and classes... while I've been tied up with Marching Band on the weekends. It was definitely a nice way to spend the day. The food was just as we had imagined - AWESOME!! On the way to the Avenue of the States we split a corn dog. Then we hit up all the State Houses. For those that have never been, each house is themed after a particular eastern state: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, & Maine. We had a lobster roll in the Maine house... then cheddar & otter creak beer in the Vermont house... then Kettle Corn in the New Hampshire house. Then it was off see the Farm animals... and the butter sculpture... then it was off to the Oktoberfest Beer Garden for brews and clam chowder in a bread bowl... after eating ALL day, we ended our day with........ Deep Fried Cheese Curds. (Hey, anything is good deep friend, right?) They were ok, but I don't think I need to get them again. :) Our friends Jim, Jim and Jess met up with us later on in the day and we just walked all over the place. If you have a free day and don't mind spending a little extra on food... the Big E is the place. They also have rides and attractions. I almost forgot about the Circus show that we saw... yeah - it's nuts. Get involved.

This weekend is full of more Wedding Singer... a fundraising walk for ALS Research in New Britian, a Marching Band competition, and potentially a BOS/NYY game on Sunday. HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

2009-09-03T14:18:00.005-04:00

Oh man... it's September already?!

Well, it's not necessarily a bad thing if you ask me. As I pointed in my last entry, I'm pretty darn excited for the Fall beer season. (Insert shameless plug here) My cousin Kate and I have talked back and forth about Octoberfest and Pumpkin Ales to the point where people were saying that we should start a blog. I present to you: beer411.blogspot.com. The idea behind it is to openly talk about the beers of the Fall season... which I've discovered are people MOSTEST FAVORITEST season. CHECK IT OUT!! First off we did a review on Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale. So perhaps we can "educate" the public on what micro brews are out their this season. Ahhh, who am I kidding... it's an excuse to try more BEER!!! Haha...

But this whole Summer to Fall signifies a lot more that just what we drink... CHANGE. I've been reading about my friend Ally who's changing her location. Moving from NYC back to CT. CHANGE. I've been catching up with my sister who's little boy (my godson) is starting 1st grade. CHANGE. Then there's me... what's going on with me? I don't know yet - but I'm feeling bored/excited/anxious/scared about life. My monetary situation is improving (something that we ALL need to CHANGE!)... and I'm, well, looking for a change. It's scary not knowing what's next - but exciting when you're sitting there in front of a blank canvas. Like the first day of elementary school when you see who's in your class. It's easy to get caught up and scared - especially me. Someone who needs security. But I'm going to think things through and make the right decision when the time comes!! CHANGE!!!

Nothing really planned for this Labor Day weekend. Michelle is crazy busy with her two shows that she's in. Oh, now I remember, I was going to include information on tickets for this entry. Ok... first up is THE WEDDING SINGER at the Thomaston Opera House. The show runs from September 19th-October 4th and is SURE to be a great show. For ticket information, check out ThomastonOperaHouse.org/ and click on PURCHASE TICKETS in the left hand column. ***Online reservations can only be accepted up until 5:00 pm on the day of performance. After that time please call the box office at 860.283.6250 for tickets.

THEN... right in time for Halloween, there's the cult classic, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW at the brand new Warner Studio Theatre. This is a GREAT theatre and will have PLENTY of interaction btw cast and audience members. AND, they're performing 3 MIDNIGHT SHOWS!!! The show runs October 19th-October 31st with midnight shows EVERY weekend. You can buy tickets online by visit WarnerTheatre.org at or call the box office at 860.489.7180.

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!!

2009-08-26T11:06:00.005-04:00

The Marching Band refused to Yield...

It's been a busy two weeks... The Marching Band season officially kicked off with Band Camp on August 12th. Joining the staff this year is our good buddy, Jared who up until a few months ago was out on the West Coast. He'll be lending a hand with the woodwind section... while all of the brass instructors came back in full force: Me, RJ, Graham, and Tom. It's such a weird season when you start in the Summer... and finish at the beginning of Winter! It goes by so quickly... This season we are performing THE KNIGHT (fitting since our school mascot is the Blue Knight!). Every year we always have so much potential... hopefully this year the kids will realize it. Not that they haven't in years past, but I can't tell you how frustrating it is to set your sights on a specific goal, then "settle" for something else. Unfortunately, we the instructors can only help... the kids have to be motivated to get the job done!

Other things to be excited about... Ahh yes. It's exciting to look at the date and still talk about Yankees Baseball. Last year we weren't so lucky. This year, the team looks solid (most of the time). Let's just hope they can stay in first for the remainder of the regular season. 6 Games in 1st is GREAT... but definitely not safe when both the Sox and Rays are playing good baseball.

ALSO, looking at the calendar, you HAVE to get excited about the beer season. While I love all beer seasons, the Fall/Autumn/Octoberfest season is by FAR my favorite. No, I don't want the summer to end either, but let's be honest, the idea of Fall beer gets you gitty. Michelle and I took at trip up to Maine a few weeks ago for Jack's birthday and stopped by the Shipyard Brewing Co. Home of the most excellent PUMPKINHEAD ALE!! At the time it hadn't come out yet... but I found a 6-pack at Southington Wine & Spirits last week. It's AWESOME!! And Shipyard also announced that it'll be releasing a new "Smashed Pumpkin Ale". I think it'll only come out in their big 22 oz bottles... but the description sounds awesome:

Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. 1.088 OG, 9.00% Alc./Vol.

Another beer that I'm very excited to try is the new PROBST variety from Clipper City. These guys have put out a few great styles in the past: Loose Cannon, Holy Sheet, Uber Pils just to name a few. Of course I'm looking forward to other varieties from Sammy Adams, Thomas Hooker, Spatan, Dogfish... Man, let's just say that I'm glad that Aida was not a Fall show. See, when I was training for the role of Radames, I swore off ALL alcohol until AFTER the show. I went about 2-3 months with a drop. I don't know if I could do that in the Fall!!!

Ok, that's it for now... be on the lookout for some GREAT local Theatre coming up in the next month or so. Next update will include information on Wedding Singer, Rocky Horror and more!!!

2009-08-19T17:43:00.007-04:00

June 11th...
June 16th...
July 22nd...
August 19th...

Sooooo, I haven't been the most CONSISTENT blogger. But as of last night, I have a newly discovered motivator:

@ToeNee11 you'd better start updating your blog more frequently! I had no idea it existed but you're now linked to mine. No pressure!

My friend from back in the days of Trumpets, Marching Bands, High School, and Long live the Moose, Rick (the famous blogger of, Strangely Involuntary) left me that note above on Twitter last night. I always wonder if anyone actually read this blog... since my layout is somewhat homemade, I haven't been able to figure out how to get the cool widgets that other blogs might have. Especially the FOLLOWERS or COMMENTS section... if you check out one of the newer layouts, people can sign on directly ON the site so you can stay informed when a blogger posts a new entry. Then the blogger sees who is actually following their updates... But I don't have that on mine! AND, if you know Rick - the guy is one of the most connected individuals in this computer-based world. So, if HE's reading up on me... you KNOW other people may end up here as well!! He even added me to his list of LINKS directly on his site... oh boy.

Blogging is so weird. You can look at it several different ways... For people that don't understand, they'll ask...

So... it's like a journal? That you're posting online? Who reads it? You're just putting it out there for ANYONE to read? Huh... well, whatever works for you.

Ok, so blogging circa 1999 - there wasn't much. You had cool links and some pictures on your site. Now... hop in your little Back to the Future DeLorean, set it for 2009 and WHOA check it out. There's a WHOLE freakin' community out there!! Post movie reviews... album reviews... songs... movies... clips... slideshows... twitter... flickr... facebook... it's crazy. I hope I can keep up with all of the cool bells and whistles that are out there. But, back to my point (did I really have a point?)... Ah yes - WHY BLOG you ask? Because it lets us keep in touch with our friends... and reach out to people that you normally would never have met! And, get to know people on levels that you never thought possible!! I've been keeping up with friends that are getting married... having kids... training for ironman competitions... auditioning in the city... all sorts of things. And no, I don't blog because I think that my views and opinions are better than anyone elses. I like to share my thoughts and I guess that's where we all connect. Sharing parts of our lives with each other... via the interweb.

Crazy.

2009-07-22T18:48:00.002-04:00

No day but today...

Whoa... it's been a while since I've updated this blog. Time to crack the whip and get a few things off my chest. First off, I have to reflect off of a blog that I just read by my friend, Alysa. Wow. Talk about eye opening... I mean, there's nothing worse than feeling like you are alone - especially in your problems when you feel like no can relate or sympathize with what you are going through. A break up for example... when you are at your worst, there's nothing more comforting than a friend that has been there too. I've said it before I think but I'll say it again...

I'm 28 years old and I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.

Luckily, I'm only 5'6" so I'll never really "grow up". But really, yeah I went to school... yeah I worked at ESPN for 5+ years... yeah I have job now. But am I happy? No, not really. My main concern is that growing up I always did a lot of things. Karate, Judo, Piano, Trumpet, Baseball, Softball, Theatre... and I went to school or had a job during the day. But when you take all of those things, it's what makes me, well, me. When you JUST have school... or JUST have a job. Then it's not me. Never has been... and looking at my parents, it never will be. I always load up my plate with everything that could possible handle. And yes, guilty of stretching myself a bit thin at times, but its what I do. For those that read this (which I know there aren't many... if any of you), you could probably remember that I was extreme happy with my involvement in AIDA back a few months. What a rush. But once the show ended - so did my ability to get involved in the things that I do outside of work. Music... Theatre... Martial Arts... Softball... when the stars aligned from time to time, yes I was able make it to a softball game or make it to a Marching Band rehearsal. But that's it. And, sorry to steal from my friend Alysa but it kinda has put me in a bit of a fog lately. Work life balance? Not here.

Luckily, things that have been cheering me up lately is the Thomaston Opera House 2010 season. Check it out... Forever Plaid, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cinderella, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and .....(drum roll).... RENT!!! I must confess, I'm not what you call a "RENThead" by any means. In fact, when I saw it on Broadway, it didn't really impress me all that much. I think that's attributed to the fact that everyone around was freakin' bananas over the show. But needless to say, I'm become a big fan. And since my ipod cassette connector just shit the bed in my car, I'm stuck with CDs again. And the ONLY CD I have in my car right now is... yeah, you guessed it - RENT. The preparation for auditions have begun!! (now does the opening line in this entry make sense now?)

Unfortunately, this entry doesn't really have a happy ending. It's just where I am now. What's next for me? Who knows... but I do know that I need to figure something out. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.

Take this all as a moment of "self-awarement":

I know where I am.
I know where I've come from.
I know what makes me happy.
I know I need a change.
I know where I need to go.
I know that where ever it is... I'm going to get there.
I know someday, I'll be back on stage.

2009-06-16T14:05:00.009-04:00

They may say, I'm a dreamer...

This weekend was one of the best in a while... and I'm not gonna lie, I've had some pretty awesome weekends lately. Weddings... Bachelor Parties... Cast Parties... Cookouts... they all have there positive qualities. But this weekend just ended on a really really good note. I guess that's the difference maker. While all of the good times that I've had the past few weeks have been awesome, this last weekend just ended on the best Sunday I've had in a long time.

Saturday, Michelle and I took off around midday to my friend's place on the upper West side in the city. Kevin and Martha's place was small but it has location and a great "backyard" area. It's right on Lexington along the 4, 5, 6... near Central Park... in a nice clean NYC area. And the backyard area was cool too! I don't know if I've ever been to an apt in NYC where there were two levels. We set up the downstairs outdoor patio area as the beer pong spot and basically stayed there most of the night. I didn't really know that many people there to begin with, but it was a great time by the end of the night. BBQ, Beer... awesomeness. Unfortunately, the rain did hit from time to time, but by 10pm, it more or less stopped... and the festivities continued.

The next morning the weather that we had been waiting for finally came. BEAUTIFUL!! We got up around Noon (which felt like 8am) and got some eats around the corner. Then the four of us went and saw THE HANGOVER... (while we were all hung over). Great movie... One thing after the next. I must say, Michelle and I have been doing a solid job on keeping up with all of the movies this summer. Wolverine, Star Trek (along she hasn't seen it, yet!), UP, The Hangover... bring on Harry Potter and Transformers 2!

Then, after we parted ways with Kevin and Martha, Michelle and I decided to walk through Central Park and enjoy the beautiful weather. Boy did we ever... we walked all over the park, from one side to the next... to the Great Lawn where we took a power nap...

...to the Alice in Wonderland statue... to the Shakespeare Gardens... to the Belvedere tower...

...and lastly we made it to Strawberry Fields.

Then after walking around everywhere... we realized that we were getting hungry again (because all we do is eat!). So we settled on Mickey Mantle's restaurant... the food was great! And while we were there, I noticed sports sideline reporter, Jim Gray walk right near our table. AND, low and behold, he was walking up to say high to Joe Buck who was eating there with his family. Definitely a little Star Struck for a moment there... so we finished our meal and walked the remaining distance to Grand Central. Since our train wasn't coming for another 45 minutes... what else is there to do, but eat! Haha... we stopped by one of the restaurants there and had a little espresso, tiramisu and cake (I can't remember the cake name). Yeah, we're basically fat kids.

So our train came at 10:22pm... and we crashed on the train. Our bellies full... our legs exhausted... and our brains fried from the weekend's festivities...

2009-06-11T16:09:00.002-04:00

Shake me like a Monkey...

So I just added a few new albums to my CURRENTLY LISTENING TO section. For those Coldplay fans out there, I HIGHLY recommend, LeftRightLeftRight. It's a complementary live album... TOTALLY puts you in the middle of the atmosphere. The crowd interaction is phenomenal. For those few that have been lucky enough to check out Coldplay live, listening to this album totally gives you chills. My girlfriend kinda looks at me crazy when I crank up VIVA LA VIDA. (OOOOOOOOoooooo...)

Another new album I just picked up (me and the rest of the World) was DMB's latest, Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King. I myself am a classic DMB fan. Every show that I go to, you WANT to hear the old tunes... Ants Marching... Two Step... Say Goodbye... #41... Tripping Billies... Warehouse... even his cover of All Along the Watchtower. When he plays the newer songs, I feel that you're being force-fed the newer songs because it's what's on the radio. And ever since Busted Stuff... I've felt that DMB's music has steadily declined... Everyday. (Not good) Stand Up. (Some tunes are good live, but not on the album). So with Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King, I did not have high hopes for this album. But I have to admit, I'm pleasantly surprised. It's not "DMB's BEST ALBUM EVER!!!" as some of the critics are saying. There are a few moments when you hear the classic summertime rockin' out style that made DMB famous. My favs are Shake Me Like a Monkey, Why I Am and Alligator Pie.

So here I am weeks after Aida and (hopefully) weeks before my next project (whatever that might be). I definitely have been feeling a bit lost in my currently work/life situation. I find that at the age of 28, I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I need money to make a confident change in my life, but I can't make that change without making money first so I'm still where I am. After the past few weeks, I've racked up a pretty substantial bill on my credit card (by my standards) so I need to pay that off before I can start saving. After the bills are paid, then what? work towards school? Well, that costs money. Work towards a new job? But, you have a job. I'm grateful to be where I am, don't get me wrong... I'm just praying for guidance. And good ol' PRESTO now has a little over 175,000 miles. I need to start saving for a car too. ACK!!! Not sure where I'm headed to or what to do... just keep on working... get a handle on my bills, work, life and then see where I am in a month or so.

On the lighter side of things, this past weekend was the wedding of two dear friends of mine, Ian and Emily. I don't know if I've ever known a storybook romance to go this far. They met when they were in elementary school and despite a short break up, found each other again and never looked back. The wedding was beautiful, held at The Waterview in Monroe, CT. I was fortunate enough to be in the wedding party. Chocolate tux, shadow stripes, and a light mint green vest/tie combo. Ian's one of the calmest, coolest cats you ever met. Nothing can phase him. Unless your name is Emily Dann and you come walking down the aisle in your wedding gown. That was quite the moment. Barely a dry eye in the house. The wedding... the reception... the bachelor party two weeks prior... the weeks leading up to the big day... it's been quite the ride. And I was lucky enough to be apart of most of it. It's funny when you think about it... back in 2004, I was working in the mailroom at ESPN. One of the guys that I worked with, Jeff, convinced me to audition outside of Southington for this little group in Naugatuck called United Arts. The show ended up being a disaster... but that experience introduced me to Ian and Emily as well as a cast of other characters that I still talk to to this day. From there I worked my way over to the Thomaston Opera House... then the Warner. So come to think of it, this little tiny small audition led me to my role in Aida and to my friend's wedding. So you never know I guess...

2009-05-14T15:35:00.003-04:00

Nothing is an accident... we are free to have it all...

Yeah, yeah... I'm sorry but I'm still dealing with my AIDA fallout. So in a way, you have to deal with me dealing with it. Sorry! (Not that anyone reads this anyway!) I still can't get over everything that happened. I'm glad that there are pictures and little clips online because sometimes I can't believe that it's all over with. But what's exciting to me is what's next. The big unknown... Again, quoting "Fortune Favors the Brave":

We are what we want to be, its in ourselves to rise or fall.

So what IS next? Well, that is honestly something that I'm not ready to share with everyone. I don't even REALLY know what's next but I DO know what I'd like to be next. Now that Aida is all done with I do plan on keeping myself in decent shape for the summer... I'm just going to enjoy a few of the FINER things in life. Trips up North with Michelle... Beer tastings... BBQs... Perhaps a trip to the shore... this is going to be one of the best summers yet. The same way I felt there was a world beyond every bend in the Nile... just waiting to be discovered (sorry... sorry... trying to all of the quotes out of my system).

One of the things that I'm not afraid to admit is trying to branch out to other CT theatres... I've primarily stuck with the Warner Theatre and the Thomaston Opera House. But there are a few others out there that I've yet to audition for... it'd be fun to try my luck at a new house. Unfortunately, before any of that happens, I need to #1: find a show that I'm interested in... and #2: Get some structured hours with my job...

The next few weekends are a great start to the summer... for starters, this weekend is an event at the Warner Theatre called SPRING FLING. They've asked Gia (Aida) and myself to sing "Elaborate Lives" and "Written in the Stars" for the Warner Donors. I'll tell ya, I know it's only been a few days, but I really miss performing this show. I'm really looking forward to singing those two songs with Gia!! And just when you think it can't get any better, we're all heading over the Quinns for some Chipolte Pulled Pork and Fiesty Lime Salsa. Yes, it's the same thing that I crocked for the Aida cast party, but hardly any of us got some!! And rumor has it that Jules and Alex may come by too.

Thursday night Mich made some AWESOME quesadillas for dinner... and breakfast was again, rockstar. But for now, bring on the weekend... I'm definitely ready.

2009-05-07T15:59:00.010-04:00

These past few months have been an absolute whirlwind. After February 10th... AIDA has basically become my life. From multiple trips to the gym, to reviewing my lines, to voice lessons, to practicing in my car, to changing my eating habits, to rehearsals, to drives to and from Torrington... so my apologies on not being able to update my blog.

So I got the part... I was given the role of Radames in the production of Aida. I've worked harder than I've ever worked for this role. Three very special people in this process have to be my friend Dan (voice teacher), my Michelle (my other voice teacher and breathing consultant :)) and my buddy John who was a huge help throughout the entire process. And as we head into our closing weekend, I can honestly say that their help and hard work has completely paid off. Our end product that is Aida at the Warner Theatre has been my BEST theatre experience to date. Yes, this trumps my stint with Jesus Christ Superstar back in Naugatuck in 2005. This is the new #1.

Although there were several set backs (My job hung in the balance there for a week or so, but luckily they didn't kick me to the curb) this has been a unforgettable trip. Here are some highlights if you have a chance to check them out:

Articles:

Plainville resident stars in "Aida" at Warner Theatre

Emotions reign in Warner's 'Aida'

Video:

AIDA Teaser

My Strongest Suit

So now here we are... the Thursday before Closing Weekend. Yes, I'm sad that the Aida train is coming into the station but this production from beginning to end has taught me so much. People often ask, "So why do you do community theatre? You mean, you don't get paid?" Usually my natural reaction is a laugh and a smile as I reply, "Nope." Because that answer says it all. If you've done theatre, you know what I'm talking about... and if you haven't then you have no idea what I'm talking about. To pour your heart and soul into something for 8 weeks... to prioritize everything else in your life so you can fit theatre in there somewhere... the benefits that you get in return are thoughts and feelings that you will never ever forget. A friend of mine recently had this to say:

"If you love doing this, take every opportunity to do it as much as you can. Share your talents with the world. I didn't do one show from 1993-2008. It is a huge regret. It took two bouts with cancer to teach me that life is better lived in the present. This is my 4th show in 15 months. I feel like I am making up for lost time. You all have so much to give. Don't stop giving it! It has been a genuine pleasure to work with you all."

Don't stop giving it.

You know that feeling when you are listening to music that you simply cannot put into words? Community theatre has that too.

Here's to you Warner Theatre... for bringing all of these wonderfully talented people into my life. I am truly blessed. Time to show these audiences on Friday and Saturday night what 5 stars is.

2009-02-10T17:05:00.000-05:00

Still waiting for that callback... :(

2009-02-04T15:16:00.003-05:00

4 days and counting...

Time seems to be just flying by lately... As I put earlier in my previous entry, it felt like I had all this time before the big AIDA audition. I can't believe the auditions are this early... FEBRUARY!! For a show in MAY!! That's 3 solid months of rehearsals. But I guess with a show of this magnitude, you need a lot of time to put it together.

You know, now that I think about it... I guess I'm kinda glad that auditions are this early. I bought the soundtrack last March and really haven't stopped listening to it. I've been practicing and practicing and now it's time to put up, or shut up. No matter what happens next week, it'll be exciting to get the ball rolling on this show. When I was in the ensemble for Miss Saigon, it was one of the best theatre experiences of my life. I have high expectations for AIDA, and I think a lot of other people do as well.

Ok, ok... enough about the freakin' audition. This weekend also marks the closing of ALL SHOOK UP at the Thomaston Opera House. What a great show that's been!! Don't believe me? Check out the REVIEW!!

The cast is solid... very very talented and I've had a blast on the crew. Definitely worthy of 4.5 stars!! I can't imagine watching this show for the first time... I've seen it 9-10 times, and there are parts that are still freakin' hysterical!! ("I'VE NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE!!") Here's to a great closing weekend cast and crew!!

COME ON EVERYBODY!!!

2009-01-27T15:14:00.002-05:00

Less than two weeks away...

Several months ago, I auditioned for the Magic Tree House tour. I didn't know whether I would accept the position if in fact I was asked to join the troop. But I went for it either way. Whatever happens... happens, right? As luck would have it, I unfortunately, was not asked to join. I was in the middle of my run of Beauty and the Beast so I had plenty on my plate to think about...

...then came my audition for All Shook Up. I knew a lot of the production staff, not to mention the actors that were going out to audition. My good friends, Ian and Emily were trying out, not to mention Michelle. Again, luck wasn't on my side. But this was my own decision. See... I just started a new job and I didn't want to get off on the wrong foot. Yes, I might have been able to "make it work" but I knew the right thing for me to do was to drop out of the cast. There were other ways for me to contribute, be it building sets or even working crew back stage. I settled for crew, but am really having a great time with this group. But, it's not a secret that I wish I was on stage. So with All Shook Up... what was next for me?

AIDA.

Several months ago after my Magic Tree House audition, I started working for the upcoming season of shows. In the back of my mind, I thought AIDA might be next for me... but it was a long ways off.

Back in November after my All Shook Up audition, I continued to work towards any upcoming shows that I might go out for. In the back of my mind, I thought AIDA might be next for me... but it was several months away.

Here I am... January 27th. And I'm less than two weeks away from my AIDA audition. I'm hoping for the best. All of my countless hours of singing in the car... studying lines at work... watching clips on the internet... will all come into play when I stand before three people who will decide my fate. It'll be tough if I don't come out with the part that I'm shooting for. But who knows... maybe looking past AIDA, there's another show that I'm not even considering right now.

...time will tell.

2008-12-15T15:23:00.003-05:00

Christmastime is here...

Weekend review...

FRIDAY

After getting out of work around 8pm, I headed off to Bachi's to meet Kristin for our FAVORITE pizza - THE GREAT WHITE. For those daring pizza eaters out there, give this a go. Definitely one of my favorites. Ready for the ingredients? Broccoli, sliced garlic and shrimp. Hey now, don't knock it if you haven't tried it! It was great catching up with her. And our friend Dan was also in town so he stopped in for a bit too. A good time and definitely a good start to the weekend!

SATURDAY

Then on Saturday, I did something I've never done before - go tailgating at a Christmas tree farm!! Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, and to be honest, we WERE the only psycho ones that set up camp, but it was a good time! Every year, Ian and Emily plan on cutting down their very own Xmas tree at the farm in Shelton. BUT, before you head off with your saw - it's customary to do a bit of grillin and enjoy some frosty cold beverages. This year, they brought along Kenny and myself and it was awesome. Apparently last year there were a bunch of tailgaters, but this year, like I mentioned earlier in the blog - we were the ONLY ones that were rockin' out. Although, most of the cars that drove by appeared to be very jealous. Either that or they thought we were crazy. :)

Other than the tree festivities, I also attended Diggity Dean's bachelor party. Sorry, no details will be provided. If you were there, sweet. If you missed out, you don't know what you missed! haha...

SUNDAY

Sunday morning kicked off with a 5k in New Haven. Last year, Matt G, Matt Z and I ran this race, this year I ran solo. I did about what I expected since I didn't train at ALL. 27:45ish. That's about a 9 min mile pace. I hope to keep up with these 5Ks. I'd like to trim down that time of 27:45. I think I did 26 minutes at some point. With AIDA, I will be getting in better shape so for the next one, I'll be better prepared. All in all, it was fun. Glad I went through with it.

Then it was off to Football Sunday at the Quinns. Except this time, we caught them COMPLETELY by surprise with Christmas Gifts. For two people that do so much for their friends, it was really nice to return the favor.

Now I'm back to work... this week I hope to get together with Kelly as well as finish up my Xmas shopping. This time of year is a little different for me this year. I'm not sure how much I want to divulge out there in the open for anyone to read, but there's a part of the whole holiday that I'm really missing this year. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one. Don't get me wrong... it's been great with gifts and work and life and stuff... I'm in a good place right now. But their's a little bit of a void that I wish I could mend. That's what I'm wishing for this year. I want to make things better - and I don't know if that's possible. That's what I'm praying for.

2008-12-08T12:05:00.003-05:00

2008-12-03T14:39:00.003-05:00

Fat guy in a little coat...

I was fortunate enough to have not 1... not 2... but 3 Thanksgiving dinners Thursday and Friday. Then came the leftovers... and the turkey sammaches... And there I was on Monday morning.
Monday morning after Thanksgiving weekend. Time to step on the ol' scale and assess the damage. 179 lbs. Pretty much where I was almost a year ago right before I auditioned for Miss Saigon.

Let me explain, see a year ago after I auditioned for Miss Saiigon at the Warner, I was told that I had better be ready to be shirtless on stage. So that's when I hit the gym religiously. Everyday... everyday... everyday. Watch what I eat... stop drinking... don't eat too late... And frankly, it's about that time again. Except this time, the challenge is AIDA. Yes, if you haven't guessed already by the pictures in the upper left hand of the screen, those are all shows that I've been in (among some sporting interests too) and yes, AIDA is up there. What can I say - I'm trying to think positive. And their are parts in this show that'll require a few shirtless things. So - once my stomach gets a little back to normal (since I haven't felt well the past few days), it's back to the gym. Watch what you eat... cut back on the drinking... you know - DON'T BE DUMB!! And to top it all off, there are a couple of races that I'd like to try this summer. Another good reason to get in shape!!

Ok... Until next time.

2008-12-01T15:33:00.002-05:00

Take this sinking boat and point it home...

Do you ever feel that you have so much to say, you find yourself speechless? Yeah - it's not about Thanksgiving or working out or running or acting or anything. Some things just hit you like a ton of bricks. And well, it's time to face the music.

(Warning: this is going to be one of those random posts that don't really make much sense. Basically I'm writing about "it" because, well, I don't know - I guess it's my way of cyber-venting.)

I knew this day would come. I'm honestly surprised that it didn't come sooner. And, don't get me wrong - the fact that this day is here is a good thing. I'm happy - in a sense. Yes, of course there's initial shock in dealing with it but its good for everyone.

Tough, but good.

It's the next step for everyone involved... it's part of the healing process, I hope. At this point, I suppose things could go one of two ways. I'm of course, I'm attempting to take the higher road, the positive route. One that diminishes all the bad and ill feelings and replaces them with the things that strengthen us.

What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

And yes, this pales in comparison to what was dealt with months ago. And that was my own doing. I know that now. I didn't mean it before, and I'm pretty confident that this "ton of bricks" wasn't meant to be ill felt either. Like I said, it's a good thing.

I only hope and pray that when the dust settles, we all come out on the other side. Because that "other" path this could potential go down, I truly do not want to tread.

2008-11-24T17:06:00.002-05:00

Here we go again...

I was at my computer wondering if my blog page still existed... Next thing I knew it, I was making changes to my layout, trying to remember how to even freakin' use this thing. It's been a while needless to say since I've written in this thing. So naturally, I wondered if anyone else I knew still wrote on their page... most people have stopped... but Kelly, amazingly, has kept up with hers! If you have a moment, click on THE RUNNER on the left hand side there...

Blogging is evil. I don't know if that's necessarily true. I mean, if you want to write about a GREAT moment in your life, then suuuure it's nice to look back and read about it. Remember this... and remember that... Anniversaries, vacations, parties, graduation, shows... Lots of good stuff. But there's a major "other" side of blogging. You know what I'm talking about... The break ups, the heartache... the times you just want to forget about all together because back when it was going on, it hurt so much to think about you took the time to type it out on the computer. Then days, weeks, months, years later... you stumble upon those moments that you tried so hard to deal with.

But here I find myself, typing away. About everything and nothing all at the same time.

Well, considering all that I've done since my last post, I can't exactly bring you all up to speed. I suppose if you know me, well then you're already caught up. I guess I'll just try and start from where I am and move forward. Yeah... that sounds about right.

I just had the one year anniversary of my apt back in October. Ironically, it coinsided with leaving ESPN. After 5 years, I hung up the cleats at the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Well, kinda... I found a new job several weeks later as an Assistant Engineer at a nearby Post Production house that deals with ESPN everyday. So now I work WITH ESPN, not FOR ESPN. That's ok with me... I can maintain the relationships that I built up with hopes to continue them.

The theatre bug has caught me in a big freakin' way too. One show led to the next to the next to the next... and here I am, just RAREIN to go for my next opportunity. Unfortunately, I had to back out of the most recent project at the Thomaston Opera House called, "All Shook Up." With my new job just starting and rehearsals just starting... I had to side with the job for now. I'll still get involved somehow (tech, pit, etc). But this cast is stacked. I would have LOVED to work with such a talented group. But I have to take a step back and keep my focus. Besides, I already have my next goal set. It's no surprise that AIDA is going to shake up the CT Community Theatre world (similar to that of Miss Saigon). And I want to be along for the ride. Rather, I want to sit in the front seat for this ride. I'm learning more about the show everyday (constanting playing it on my iPod), but given my vocal range and age, I think I'm in a great spot to get one of the male leads, Radames. Auditions will be in a month or so... that gives me about 5-6 weeks from now to prepare. 5-6 weeks?! I guess I never really thought about it until just now. Hmmm... ok. Well - it'll be tough to frequent the gym and watch what I eat during Thanksgiving and Xmas... but you have to do what you have to do, right?

I think that's enough to digest for the first time out... Again, maybe Kelly's the only one who reads this. Who knows... but as evil as blogging is, it does feel good to start it up again. Now if only I could figure out how to make the commenting widget work!! Grrr...

2008-11-18T11:44:00.001-05:00

2008-02-17T11:37:00.002-05:00

2006-12-16T11:21:00.000-05:00

Honestly... who blogs on these things anymore...

So I'm going through my online routine... Check email, check MySpace, check Fantasy Sports... I decide to check out a little Instant Messager. I haven't logged onto that in weeks and just the other day, Annabelle made me a Buddy Icon. So I jumped on. One thing leads to the next and I stumble upon Kelly's blog page. It's been a long time since I posted or read anyone else's post...

Long story short... I'm back. Started reading some older entries and felt like it was time to gas up a few more. I don't know how consistent I'll be, but if the mood strikes me, I'll make sure to post it up.

My old page for the (2) people that read my blog, is long gone. It got erased when my dad's judo site was upgraded, but it's not that big of a deal. The pictures were WAY out dated... it had shots of me working out (when was the last time I went to Judo)... pictures of Jack (when he was 1... the BOY is 3!)... pictures of the UCMB (when I WENT to school!)... so needless to say, time for a change.

Things are good right now... about to get into the Holiday swing. Money for me this year is a little tight, but I'm making due. I have a great job opportunity with ESPN and hoping that it pans out... I'm trying to get myself to the gym more and more these days... (do I write that in every blog entry!?)... Currently recording an album with the band formerly known as the Naughty Jungle of Love... and acting as much as I can (just finished GUYS AND DOLLS at the Warner Theatre in Torrington).

So life is good. Still at home with a great family. Not to mention occasional visits from my sisters who are spread from New York, to New Hampshire, to Maine.

More to come... glad to be back.

Catch the WOO!!

2006-01-16T10:48:00.000-05:00

This ain’t no love that’s guiding me...

A day off and time to reflect.

This blogger stuff is taking off. I didn't know anyone really checked this out then all of a sudden my friends have all sorts of new entries that I have to read up on!
(NICE LAYOUT KELLY!) Not to mention some great entries from Annabelle with a look back to her grandparents. Blogging is all the things that one might not say in normal day to day conversation. Great insite - and sometimes it brings a side of us that perhaps we wouldn't express. Or didn't think we could express... I'm not going to set the bar for a new years resolution (if I call it that, I probably won't keep it) but I would like to write in this more. MySpace is ok to throw on a few things on your mind, but this is a place of definite reflection. Yeah.

So I ate like @#$%@#$% this weekend. That's it. That's it. I'm not going on a DIET but I just need to stop eating crap. Fruit or Donuts? Go with fruit. Soda or water? Go with water. Workout or sleep? Get your a$$ up and WORKOUT! I'm almost to where I was sophomore year when I was 185 lbs! Ok, so I'm not THAT bad, but with the thought that I have to be shirtless in the first ensemble number in Jekyll and Hyde had begun my motivation. I'm suppose to be a musculer dock worker... right now I'm a freakin embarrassment waiting to happen.

That being said, I'm off to get going on this day. Oh, about the quote, if you haven't already bought it or copied it from a friend, get your hands on David Gray - Life in Slow Motion. You won't be disappointed.

On winter trees the fruit of rain, Is hanging trembling in the branches, Like a thousand diamond buds...

2005-12-30T09:51:00.000-05:00

Stop and smell the roses...

Things at work are a little slow this week so I'll take a moment and write some stuff in this here blog. I think three people in this whole world MIGHT have a link to this page. It helps me get stuff off my mind. Throwing it out in this little corner of cyber space makes me feel like I'm not the only one dealing with it. I just started a little blog action on myspace but this allows you to write a little bit more. Welcome to my World... long time no see.

Now that the holidays are almost about over with New Years waiting in the wings, I had a chance to reflect on everything that went on.

WHOLE family... I mean the WHOLE family came down. Chris, Brett, Jazzy, Jade, Mike, Care, Tom, Jack, Mickey, Rob, Beth, and even Belle came for a bit on Monday. I mean, EVERYONE was there - our house was PACKED! It was great. It wasn't a big gift or a "wholly cow this happened" sort of Xmas... just seeing everyone and it was perfect. I used some $$$ that I got to make our internet WIRELESS at our house, the rest will go towards the final car payment on PRESTO and car insurance. Hope the car holds out until the summer. With 110,000 miles on it, and the ABS light on, I'm not looking to pump a few hundred bucks in there to get whatever fixed. I have my eyes on either a Nissan or a Scion. I'm months from deciding so anything can change...

So we had a lot of good stuff happen over the holiday, Mike made the family comedown and surprise us ALL on Christmas night (THANKS MIKE!!!!!), Robbie brought the latest version of his CD, Stumble Inn (BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS ONE!), and Chris and Brett got to stay a few extra days with us. Nice that they could kind of relax for a bit there! And with the good...comes the bad. I got a major dose of it this morning, not really understanding the severity of it until I was thinking about it on my way to work. (2) Major things on my mind right now. I know I should feel free to write about them but, I need to respect other people's privacy. Keep those two "things" in your prayers. I know they are in mine.

Annabelle and I have logged away over 7 months since we "met" back in Cape Cod last May. I don't even know where the time has gone. If you asked me that we would have lasted this long, I would have NEVER believed it. But here we are Dec. 25 (7 months) and going strong. I'm a very lucky man to have her in my life. She's supportive, understanding, and anyone that can deal with me for more than two weeks is commendable. As busy as I am sometimes, I hardly feel that I'm playing the role of the boyfriend up to par, but she's always there supporting what I do. Thanks Belle ;)

What's in store for 2006. Who knows... my friends are getting married left and right, who's to say who else will get hitched. Congrats to Brendan & Steph, Jeff & Steph, Kate & Casey, and Rachel & Jason. My age will be equal to the value of a quarter (25 years old!)... I hopefully will feel better about my job and become more comfortable... Passion Play will have a different feel to it this year as I have taken on the responsibility of Co-Director... Jekyll and Hyde will go up for THREE weekends - Opening on February 25... Musically, Robbie Gil's FULL-LENGTH album will finally make it's debut: STUMBLE INN... the Naughty Jungle of Love will be putting out a new FULL-LENGTH album as well... both are expected to be released in February/March.

Personally, we'll see where I am monitarily. I'd like to go back to school for my Masters in marketing... If I can, I'd like to find a roommate and move out... We'll see what happens. Only if I can afford it.

As for now, it's off to the Raposos for our annual New Years Eve BASH! I've been going to 7 years and I don't see myself stopping any time soon. Have a safe new years everyone. I wish I could be there too.

All the best in 2006.

-Tony

2005-07-21T19:38:00.000-04:00

Anyone that says, "I can't do it..." Feast your eyes on this one. Kelly - I probably never said it this way, but the fact that you are setting such a goal for yourself AND hitting it, is such an inspiration to me. Your drive is untouchable. You make me so proud.

2005-07-04T00:58:00.000-04:00

Three down... three to go.

2005-06-28T23:45:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my life for the past few weeks. Jesus Christ Superstar - We open THIS Thursday!!!

2005-06-19T12:07:00.000-04:00

...and presenting the NEWEST LEONE!!!!

2005-06-19T12:05:00.000-04:00

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!

2005-03-27T15:09:00.000-05:00

WE'RE HEEEEERE!

2005-03-27T15:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!!

2005-03-23T17:31:00.000-05:00

A write-up about Grandpa last week in the Bristol Press...

LEONE LOVED BRISTOL SPORTS

John J. Leone, Sr., a lifelong Bristol resident who passed away here at age 89 on Sunday, will be remembered for a number of things, such as being the patriarch of one of Bristol’s best known families, as a man who dabbled in both magic and politics, and a man who gave back more than he took out of life.
On my part and others in the sports community, it’ll be his contributions to Bristol sports, those involving the kids.

I first worked with John about 15 years ago when a group of us, including Jack Lautier, Doc Gilhuly, the late Julie Larese, Ellie Wilson, Thomas R. Monahan and Lillian Wojcik, gathered to talk about having a book written on the history of Bristol sports, a project which has been crawling along since. One of John’s suggestions was to do the book by decades, each being a separate chapter. He provided other input such as to profile the top sports people each decade, among others, which, too, will be incorporated into the final product.

Since that time while reviewing the annals of Bristol sports through The Bristol Press microfilm at the Bristol Public Library, I often came across John’s name pertaining to sports. First, as one of the founders of Bristol’s first Little League, the McCabe-Waters Little League which celebrated its 50th anniversary in recent years. In recalling those founding years, John put together a brief commentary of the league from his standpoint, entitled, "Bristol’s Baseball Tradition -- In The Beginning There Is Always Little League."

John, the father of four boys and three girls, was a natural to join along in the fall of 1949 when the late Bob Casey and others had decided to bring Little League to Bristol. Through the years he served in a number of capacities, including as the league’s second president behind Bob Casey.

John, who had been employed at Wallace Barnes for 35 years, also coached the St. Ann’s Parochial School basketball team for a number of years, a group of youngsters playing both out of the school in the grammar school league and in the CYO League. According to his longtime friend, Dan Valerio, a.k.a., "coach," who mentored similar teams through St. Anthony’s Parochial School, an opponent school, "He did a good job."

Dan tells the story where he believes John and one of his CYO teams once won a state title after winning the city title. Dan said, "I’d beat him during the regular (grammar school) season, but he’d beat me in CYO play with both of us having the same players from our grammar school league teams playing on our CYO teams."

An avid collector of both baseball and basketball cards, John also followed local teams such as the Bristol American Legion and others while watching the professional games of the Boston Red Sox, New York Giants and Boston Celtics.

"Up until he got sick about four years ago, we used to go to the St. Paul basketball games," said Dan. "My wife (Jen) and I would often visit him after that and we’d bust each other about the times we coached against one another. We were all close, Jen, myself, John and his wife, Marie. She’s one heck of a nice woman."

In 1983, John was honored by the Bristol Tramps Sports Reunion Committee in receiving the William "Bill" A. Garrett Award, named after the sportswriter and newsman who introduced the sports column to Bristol readers. Joining him that year in being honored by the Tramps were the late Roger Godbout, Tony "Anthony" Lodovico, Wally Utke, Dan Valerio and the Gippers Oilers basketball team.

Julie Larese, founder of the Tramps and its longtime chairman, had only nice things to say about John Leone. He had worked with him in helping get the McCabe-Waters Little League organized and found him a fine man to work with.

"John loved doing things for the kids," Julie once told me in an interview at "The Barn," his "Godfather of Bristol Sports" headquarters in Forestville. "Whether it be basketball at the school or the Little League, he understood what sports could do for a young boy and he saw it through his own boys."

2005-03-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

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

2005-03-19T00:55:00.000-05:00

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...

2005-03-16T15:14:00.000-05:00

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...

2005-03-08T21:56:00.000-05:00

Which way to happiness?

No, I assure you that your screen is not malfunctioning... this is actually the SECOND post within a week's time. I know... I know. Hard to believe.

I'm at a very weird state... I really don't know where it's coming from. I have all sorts of things going around me, some good, some not so good... I just don't know what to make of it. I apologize ahead of time because most of what I'm about to write probably won't make too much sense. I just feel all mixed up inside so that everything is just numbing. I mean what the heck... tomorrow is the last day of the week for me because I'm spending the rest of the week in NYC. I'm getting ready for the BIG EAST TOURNAMENT, and even though I will be watching the game from a sportsbar somewhere in NYC, I mean... it's STILL NYC!! Wake up TONE! I'm going to see a bunch of people I haven't seen in a while and I'll be going out to the bars with some of the coolest people @ UConn. So why am I feeling this way?

Passion Play is RIGHT around the corner and I am counting the days to get my hair cut. I think I've overdone the Uncle Jesse look. HAVE MERCY!!!! Ok, that's enough of that. But have no fear, the day after the Passion Play closes (March 25th), I'm heading to get a trim. That's something else I should be excited for... The Passion Play!! And heading into the summer months means MORE shows too. I got a case of the acting bug last year and I can't seem to get enough of it. There are rumors of Jesus Christ Superstar kicking off with the Naugatuck group in a few weeks too. And I'm playing trumpet in TWO more gigs. One for an Easter Mass with my friends Sara and Matt and the other one is for Southington Community Theatre (South Pacific). So I have a lot on my plate. Shows, trumpet, haircut, March Madness, not to mention watching Survivor... and yet, I'm just numb right now.

I had a great time with my friend Kelly the other night. I know I'm talking about feeling numb n' stuff but that was honestly was a good time. Although, the movie was lacking a bit. We saw, BE COOL. I could have used something a little more "edge of your seat." All n' all fun and I hope we can do it again in the future.

And lucky for me, I have a WONDERFUL ride to the train station on Thursday morning. You are the BEST, Lyss. No joke, this saves me about $80 EASY with all of the parking fees I would have had to deal with. Let's just hope I come back on Sunday with a BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

The past few nights have been late ones... time to hit the hay. I had a dream last night that I was just all over the place... lost. Didn't know where I was going, or where I should be going, or what to do. I was just walking around with no plan and it was driving me nuts.

Funny how dreams and sometimes mimic real-life...

2005-03-02T23:53:00.000-05:00

Where the heck do I begin?

I don't know if this post will either make people mad because, "IT'S ABOUT TIME YOUR WROTE IN YOUR BLOG," or if it'll make them happy because I haven't written in several months. Either way... ready or not here I come.

Life has been all over the place. Last time I made my way on here was November and I was wishing everyone a Merry Xmas and a Happy new Year. I should have covered January and February as well when I did that. At this rate, I better wish everyone a Happy Easter, Happy Mothers Day, Happy Flag Day, and how about one good ol' Happy 4th of July just to round things off. Freakin a, I hope I get on here before July. I am definitely a creature of habit. So if I can get used to writing a little bit every night... or even every few nights, I just might be able to maintain. But then again, I think that's what I said last time. Well, enough rambling, let's get to the dirt that we call my life.

December brought highs and lows. The obvious was Xmas and seeing the family on a few momentus occasions. When you have three sisters in three states, you really value the times together. I can't remember the last time our house was filled. Get this: 8 people, 3 dogs, and one freakin cute godson... We were packed. That reminds me, I still have to use the gift certificate that my sister got me. December also had its low moments. In a few days time, my Great Aunt Connie went from healthy, living in Bristol getting ready for the holiday season with her classic cooking.... to a major stroke that left us only guessing, "What happened..." She passed away at the age of 85. She was a fire cracker, that Connie. Ask ANYONE that knew her and they'd agree that she was 16 years old going on 85. She never stopped moving. She will be missed dearly...

January and February are blurs in my mind really. I've gotten to know people around ESPN better as the weeks go on. I even convinced a bunch of friends to go out for the Montys Fan Club show a few months ago. They loved it although the crowd was on freakin prozac or something. I definitely had an awesome time. Good seeing Mr. Muir and a few other familar faces from UConn. Timmer through his classic Super Bowl party which brought in record numbers. The basement was PACKED! And the food was also riduclous. Pizza dip and wings and nachos and snacks and pepporoni bread and sausage/peppers oh oh... and who could forget the Cheese Ball we all know and love. Yes, even the cheese ball made an appearance. Although JP threatened us that it would be the last time he made it because it didn't get eaten all the way. (Just wait until tail gating season comes around for UConn Football... you'll come around brother.)

Late January brought the arrival of the Passion Play. I was given the more conservative role this year as John the Apostle. I was looking forward to repeating as Judas but they chose an AWESOME person to play him this year. I have no doubt that it will be very good. Plus, now that I am John, I can be a nice guy for a change. After Judas last year and then Cain/Japeth in the Children of Eden, I felt like maybe I was getting type casted. haha... But seeing Alyssa, James, Val and all of the other familar faces is great. All of the jokes come back and it's like we picked up right were we all left off last year. Trips to Chili at night to see our FAVORITE WAITRESS (that's major sarcasm in case there is any confusion)... trips to Asiagos (although we haven't done that yet)... Just last week the Director Rich informed us that we only have 6 more rehearsal until the show... !!!!!! I can't believe in less than a month Passion Play will all be over again! Unbelievable...

The Michigan branch of the Leone Tree came out two weeks ago; Nick and Uncle Roland. Talk about your QUICK few days. We fit it all in though... well all that we could really. Put it this way... we never stopped. From the airport to the casino to judo to the casino again to the club... Laughs, food, and family. You can't trade that in for all of the money in the world. Not a bad way to celebrate your 24th Birthday. It would have been nice to have the sisters around... but I am looking forward to visiting them soon. I hope I can go out to Michigan this summer. I think I need to hit the gym a few hundred times before I do that though. Hard to compete with a Detriot Firefighter...haha.

And just last week the ESPN Mailroom had a bit of a shake up. My friend DJ and I were trying to make our way into the Music Department as Music Assistant and Music Coordinator. Good and Bad News... Although we both had three callbacks regarding the position, sorry to say that I didn't make final cut. On the other hand Mr. DJ was asked to come aboard. I'm definitely happy for him. He'll be someone that is going to go places. Mark my words. So last Friday we had a measle little send off for him... 11 pizzas, three cakes, balloons, posters... ulllll. A send off fit for a how ya doin. So where does that put me? Back to good ol' square one. My time will come though. Things work out for a reason. Sometimes it's not clear at first... now if only I believed that.

And here we are. What's going on now...Lately, I've been watching the Children of Eden DVD that came out last week (thanks to Marc for letting me borrow it before I get my own copy). Brought back a lot of good times... Passion Play creeps closer and closer... Rumor has it that Naugatuck Theatre is putting on Jesus Christ Superstar in a few months with auditions right around the corner... I fit in the gym today during lunch and I'm trying to stay consistent. We'll see how that goes.

Good to be back... Hope we can stay in touch...

Good luck exploring the infinite abyss...

2004-11-27T13:33:00.000-05:00

Hey life... long time no see...

So I was talking to my friend Alyssa about writing more posts. Maybe I should take this time to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... just in case I can't get to writing more. That way, when you guys check to see if I've written anything in a month, I'll be right on time with my Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. :)

I'm back. Feels great. Life got a little carried away there for a few months. From Passion Play, to Broadway Rocks, to Children of Eden, I've been a whirlwind of Theatre for a while now. And with Passion Play starting early this year, I've got about a month to kick back and enjoy life. And begin...

Children of Eden was one of the best decisions I've made in a while. Yes I know you are noticing a consistent theme here. I always regret doing a show when it first begins and then when it's all over, I'm glad I did it. What can I say, it is how it is. The cast of CoE was great. Rekindling old friendships by establishing new ones... meeting new people for the first time... As OVER as this show is, I have a feeling that it is going to be the start of a whold new world for me. Thank you to everyone that made this experience what it was: People are saying that this was one of the best shows so far... I'm looking forward to raising that bar for the next production. :) Rumor has it that Jesus Christ Superstar might be in the works, but I ain't know to gossip so you ain't heard that from me.

Congratulations to the SHS Marching Band on one of the most successful seasons. I know I wasn't there when you guys starting thing back in August, but I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to work with some amazing people. And now we'll always have something in common: We both have a BANNER. And 4th place at Giants Stadium... placing ONLY .2 behind the 2nd place band, that is remarkable. IF that don't give you a heaping spoonful of EYES WITH PRIDE, I don't know what will. If everything works out, I hope to be with you next year to. Thank you for making my time with you that much more special.

Kristen, thank you for being my running partner again this year for the Manchester Road Race. Although we were both struggling from our "pre-race" traditions, we did better than our time last year. Maybe we should consider wearing a big turkey costume next year to help our time out. :) Hope Harry likes his bib, uhh, I mean, Harrison.

Thanksgiving was GREAT this year with everyone... but Mike. I'm sorry you had to work this year brother. We'll have to make up for it on Christmas Eve... you were definitely missed. Great seeing Jack too. Can't wait to spoil you for Xmas. We ate and ate and ate... got a little sample of Ahab Seamus's new studio album as well. I'll try and get some pictures of our New Hampshire Thanksgiving up here soon.

I'm going to head into the other room to visit now... I have a three hour drive home tonight... then I'm bleeding blue at the Giants Game tomorrow with my fellow icy advisor. All Hail.

Tis the season for the Sam Adams Winter Classics...

2004-10-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

Only at ESPN...

I'm not saying that I wouldn't dress up if I worked anywhere else. But I think working at the worldwide leader in sports just adds to the effectiveness. Efficiaous... if you will. I mean picture yourself going to work on a lonely Friday, October 29th. You're tired, anxious to get to the weekend. Just watching the clock waiting for it to hit 5:00pm, or whatever time you get out... and this guy comes to deliver a package to you:

I love it. Comments from all over... Who knows how long I'll be able to get away with dressing up like this... so for the time being, I'm all in.

My dad once said, Always leave them laughing. Maybe that's my insentive to dress up the way I do on the Friday before Halloween. I hope I made a few people laugh. What's one dress up day out of the whole year?

And how could I possibly put in an entry without the mention of last nights festivities.

CONGRATS TO THE SOUTHINGTON BLUE KNIGHTS MARCHING BAND!!!
CLASS FOUR OPEN STATE CHAMPIONS WITH A SCORE OF 93.3!!!!

What a night... going up against to of the more difficult CT bands in Trumbull and especially Waterford. You knew going in that it was going to be close no matter what. Trumbull took one caption award... while us and Waterford won two each: Best Drumline and Colorguard for Waterford and Best Music and Visual Effect for Southington. Then we waited in anticipation for the placement scores to be read. 92.00 for Trumbell, 92.75 for Waterford, and 93.3 for your Champion Blue Knights. The kids worked real head all week. This was their 3rd show in as many days. They put in the effort and look what came of it. My Congratulations to anyone in the band and color guard that might happen to come across this page.

Two more weeks left in the season... lookout Bunnell and Giants Stadium, the Blue Knights are coming to town.

As for me today, all sorts of stuff before the parents get home. Two more weeks left in the FALL INTO FOOTBALL competition @ ESPN. The winning team that logs in enough hours at the gym walks away with free ipod minis. Look out motivation, here I come.

Happy Halloween everyone!!

Muah ha ha ha haaaaaaa...

2004-10-21T23:47:00.000-04:00

It's not easy being green...

It's already pretty late... but I told Kristen that I would put up a post tonight. So I can't go about disappointing now can I!?!

Let's just say that I slept pretty well last night. After all, at least the Yankees had the decency to lose by a bunch of runs so that the chances of them coming back were slim. The past few days I have stayed up WAY too late watching Baseball and having to deal with work the next day was no picnic. With all that I'm doing these days, I need all the sleep I can get.

For those that haven't visited this little guy's site in a while... here's a little shortcut for you: Jack Johnson

And for my sister that just might read this... I got your husband's voice mail. Funny though, I don't remember calling him last year when the Yankees beat the Red Sox... or remember calling him when the Yankees were in the World Series in 2000. Hmm... Interesting...

I do however, tip my cap to the Red Sox. If you ask me, the Yankees seemed to go into some warped form of cruise control after Game 3. The bats seemed to slow up a bit... the defense seemed a little sloppy... I don't know what it was. And believe me, it pains me to say that because I'm a die hard Yankee Fan. The Red Sox just seemed to want it more. And now they head on to face the Cardinals. The best time in the National League. So much for Yankees and Astros in 2004.

SURVIVOR UPDATE: Survivor is still going well. I have Amy and Chris this time around. I thought I was going to the SOL during that first episode with Chris already on the chopping block.

CHILDREN OF EDEN UPDATE: Show is going well. November 18th is itching closer and closer... lots of work to cover before then.

BIG WEEKEND. Ruark and Jackie will be in town for the weekend. Gea Ruark. And with my busy ass schedule I've been a horible friend and haven't returned calls. So it'll be good to catch up this weekend. BIG Judo Tournament in Bristol this Saturday sponsered by Gentle Way Judo Club. Papa Leone is putting a LOT into it. Hope everything goes well... Then you have the UConn Homecoming Game vs. Temple @ the Rent. (Yes, that's me on the UConn Homecoming site). Dust of the trumpet and rock out... then from there I'm headed back home for the Music of the Knight.

Damn... with all of that going, i'd better get some rest.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR RACE ON SUNDAY KRISTEN!!! 10 FREAKIN' MILES - YOU ARE MY IDOL!

Later y'all...

Can you take me higher?...

2004-10-11T23:07:00.000-04:00

I got a pocketful of soul right here…

I don’t really know what it was that I did this weekend. But by Sunday night I was freakin beat tired…

Nick and I caught TOWER OF POWER on Friday night. I’ve heard only good things about T.O.P. shows… and I was amped that I finally had the opportunity to catch one. And what a show it was. For only knowing a handful of songs, I was thoroughly impressed. Not to mention we hung out with the lead singer for a little bit after the show. He recognized the MAYNARD FERGUSON shirt that I was wearing and came right over to us. Apparently the two trumpet players in TOP were former members of the Big Bop Nouveau…Word on the street is that T.O.P. will be at Mohiegan Sun at the end of September in the Wolf’s Den (FREE SHOW!!!). Definitely worth seeing…

Moving on to Saturday night. Marching Band competition @ Rockville. We focused a lot on marching this week with the addition of a few new visuals. We were focused to raise the bar from the 79.9 that we got in Rocky Hill last week.

85.2

With a lot of little things to fix… it’s time to nit pick everything. Musically… Marching… we have the show that could really blow away the stands, now we just need to do it. TRUMPETS!!! Come on guys… time to step it up. MOOSE!! Next week brings us to MUSIC IN MOTION a la Cheshire. Squaring off against Waterford. Should be a good match up… so far we are neck and neck this season.

Sunday, Chazze and I watched the Giants game @ J.Tims. Football, Oktoberfest Brews, and Dirt Wings… now if that ain’t a recipe for success I don’t know what is. Once we stuffed our faces (5 lbs n’ all), we ventured over to Downtown Southington for some Apple Fritters. We waited 45 minutes in line!!! And they even gave us a WARNING that they might not have enough fritters. What the @#$#@$??? I mean, you are only open two weekends a year and you might run out? I guess there was a rush on fritters this year… But we got ours eventually. And boy were they worth the wait…

Later on, Talvy joined us and we headed to the movies. We saw Resident Evil: Apocalypse and then played a little NBA Live 2005 @ Rich’s place.

HOW could I possibly end this blog without touching on the American League Championship Series that we are about to kick off. Let’s be honest (of course it’s easy for me to say this now…) but really, from DAY ONE, did you think it would be anything else other that Yankees vs. Red Sox??? Exactly. We all knew that they probability of this day coming to pass was about 99.9%.

So what happens now.

Well, I did give you my picks in my last entry. I’ll stand by it. You have Schilling and Pedro pitching possibly two games a piece in this series. Game 1, Game 2, Game 5, and Game 6. I still say that Pedro is the X Factor. I loved the headline of the Hartford Courant the other day, “MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY” We’ll see who’s who’s daddy in the days to come…

Belief makes things true, things like you…you and I

2004-10-08T01:14:00.000-04:00

I’m cleaning up so well…

So I did well last week with the posts for those that chose to stay up-to-date. This week? Not so much. Then without further adieu, here we go. The weekly review of what’s what, who’s who, what happened, what’s happening, and what’s yet to come…

Marching Band is in FULL swing. I’ll be honest. It feels awesome to be back. Slightly different than I remember… but of course, I’ve never really helped out the marching band. I’ve always been the marcher. But the main thing is that I finally feel like I belong. The first few rehearsals, I didn’t really know where this was going to lead. I’ve already made a handful of new friends and I can’t wait to make more. Oh, and for those that were once a part of the trumpet section @ SHS:

The Moose Hat lives on…

Last week we competed @ Rocky Hill. This was the first time we marched the show and played (last week was a standstill). 79.9 Not a bad place to start. There wasn’t anyone in our division so we just wanted to score well. In addition to that number, we walked away with Best Overall Effect and we tied for Best Percussion. LOTS of room to improve on… but again, we were all happy with what accomplished. Next week brings us to Rockville HS. Hopefully we can build on what we have going so far…

The Postseason is upon us.

The time of the year when those that enjoy the fall classic: The Baseball Playoffs… we stay up a little later than we should (especially with work the next day)… we eat a little more than we should, we watch tv more than we should… but all for the love of the game. It even acts as an excuse to get together with some friends that maybe you haven’t seen in a while. I’m finally making plans with my friend Keith after over a year of talking on and off. Not to mention, the other night I hung out with my good friend Nick from “the neighborhood.” Good Times I tell you. Good times. So here we go: The American League brings us theYanks vs. the Twinkies and the Sox vs. the Halos. National League brings us the Astros vs. Braves and the Dodgers vs. the Cards. Prediction time (hopefully without jinxing myself here): We are headed for Round 2 of the Sox vs. the Yankees. America wants this matchup… the fans want this match up… bring it on. It’ll go 6 games with the Yankees making there way to the World Series yet again. (X-Factor: If the Yankees are still Pedro’s Daddies… The Sox can’t pitch Schilling everygame. If Pedro is solid…) As far as the National League goes, I really don’t care all that much. But if I had to choose, I like the Astros playing the Cards with the Astros fighting there way into the World Series after a 7 game series.

The Yankees will be rested… The Astros will be tired from a long series.

Yankees in 6 games.

Besides the Playoffs and Marching Band there isn’t too much else going on… The Apple Harvest is in town last weekend and this weekend. Ummm… can we say, APPLE FRITTERS??? Kinda weird how it’s just our town that is crazy about apple fritters…

The show is going well (Children of Eden)… lots to do still. Soon we’ll have rehearsals with everyone instead of just acting cast and adult chorus. We’re in the process of blocking now…

The fiscal year just ended for ESPN. And yes, it’s been a year and two months (as of 10/11/04) in the Mailroom. If you asked me in the beginning if I would be in the mailroom for over a year, I’d have called you crazy. Here I am. One year aaaaaaaaand tack on two months. So with the fiscal year coming to a close, a bunch of people are getting shuffled around. The good thing about being with a company that constantly grows is that they are ALWAYS looking to fill new positions. I’m trying not to get my hopes up but I would be lying if I said I WOULDN’T be upset if two months went by and I’m still where I am now. Nothing against the guys in the mailroom. I get along with everyone… but making what I’m making gets old after a while. Just have to keep going… be happy that I have a full time job…

I commend you if you actually read this far. I don’t think this post will retain most people’s attention span.

So far so good with my running gameplan. I have the Manchester Road Race coming up in November. Kristen and I ran it in 50 minutes last year… Now she’s raising the bar on me. So I HAVE to stick to my running routine. ?

Looking forward to the playoffs continuing… Kevin comes home this weekend. A little Apple Harvest Festival action and then there’s the Rockville Competition.

Have a good weekend everyone…

Ain’t no class like the one I got…X

2004-09-28T20:23:00.000-04:00

I think I’m happy…

If you haven’t heard… allow me to be the bringer of GREAT news. Here’s a hint:

KRISTEN IS A GODMOTHER!!! Congratulate her the next time you bump into her. That’s freakin’ awesome Kris. Maybe it means a lot to me especially because I can relate being the Godfather of JACK (I think I’ve mentioned that once or twice on here…). Oh, I didn’t even say WHO she was the Godmother of. Welcome to the world Mr. Harrison Thomas Brennan. Do you think that this little guy will grow up with a bit of a Harry Potter theme??

So what’s the deal lately… My life is busy to say the least (what else is freakin’ new). I have been really going non-stop. For example, Saturday entailed me getting up @ 5:30am and helping Papa Leone with the next stage of our Vino da Leone Process. From there I took off @ 7:15am to meet the Rent CREW @ the Big Y in Manchester. We tail-gated all morning (Breakfast Piles were a SUCCESS!!!) and then went into the game. Three hours later we all parted ways. After a quick stop @ Margaritas w/ Timmer, I was headed to Somerville, MA to celebrate Zippa’s birthday. (By the way, nice work with the Surprise Laurel. You really pulled it off with flying colors. 100% success. ) After rocking out with those guys on Saturday and part of Sunday, I got home and went to bed shortly after. I found myself back to work on Monday… worked out when I got out of work, ate quickly at home, and then had rehearsal until 9:00pm. Just one thing to the next!!

It really hit me this morning how much I HAVEN’T been home. This morning I was just grabbing a quick glass of juice before I took off when my dad walked into the kitchen. He says, “So how’ve ya been?” I didn’t know where he was going with this. He continued, “I barely see you these days.” I spoke up right away to argue the point, but then realized that he was dead on. I haven’t been home. It’s not a good or a bad thing… this is just a busy time. Children of Eden will go up in November. Perhaps my work schedule will lighten up if I get a boost out of the mailroom (I’m putting away 45+ hours everyweek). Marching Band will end around Thanksgiving. So I suppose everything is just piled up at once. December will bring some relief. Maybe a Xmas mass or two if I can convince my church that I was once good at the trumpet.

What’s in store this week. Looking forward to our FIRST night game at the RENT Thursday night. People are saying we have a legitimate chance against Pitt. BRING IT ON!! I think Friday will bring me to my friend’s place in Norwich although we haven’t figured out the details just yet. Saturday brings me to Rocky Hill for a MB competition… Sunday we’re meeting at Tailgaters in Derby @ noon and then I’m headed to see my buddy Ian in a show with some friends from Naugatuck. Doesn’t look like my schedule is going to lighten up anytime soon…

Handling it one day at a time…

All roads must lead to somewhere, I wish I didn’t sell my car…

2004-09-23T23:24:00.000-04:00

So long summertime...

After a solid rehearsal, quality dirt wings from J.Tims and a few shots thanx to my friend, Sean... It's been a good night. Time to close it out with a little blog entry. I couldn't resist throwing up a little something before I crash tonight.

This week has been filled with quality music. For starters, the show, Children of Eden, is coming together and the songs are beginning to take shape. By the way, that runs November 18, 19, and 20 @ the big white church in the center of town for those that are interested. Passion Play style tickets... just let me know and I'll get them for you... Free admission, donations accepted. Back to the "good music" point... Green Day came out with their new album, American Idiot. I haven't heard it yet, but so far I'm hearing good reviews. I'll have to pick up a copy soon. And lastly, Rob and Beth have opened my musical eyes to one of the newest guys on the scene, Mr. Gavin DeGraw.

He has a bit of a "boy band" voice but it's growing on me. He's the guy that sings the theme song to, One Tree Hill on the WB network.

And so brings us to another weekend. Something tells me that it's going to be a good one. I'm going out with Keith tomorrow to watch the game... Saturday brings you UConn football SOLD OUT against Army... Things are looking up. And how could I possibly forget... SMOCKTOBERFEST!! Hope you have fun this weekend, Kris. We'll miss you at the game.

Bed time ladies and gents. A few things before I go.
- Congrats to DOUG for making the Celtics squad!! All those days of practicing at Mansfield Hollow paid off!!
- Prayers are going out to my cousin, Chris. You are in our thoughts saaaaaa. Be strong. Be Tough. We love you and are praying for you.

Have a safe weekend everyone!!!

How can I just let you walk away...

2004-09-22T23:03:00.000-04:00

One lesson that we can always learn from...

Ok, ok... call it a cop out. But I got a real nice email from my sister today and I really wanted to share with y'all. Besides, if I can make 5 minutes of your day go by faster... That's a pretty successful day. ;) Enjoy.
-----------------------
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours
in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the 2 cups of
coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and
empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then
asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between
the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the
jar
was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty
space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the
professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this
jar
represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things-your God, family, your children,
your health, your friends, and your favorite passions-things that if
everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be
full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your
house, and your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room
for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend
all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for
the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play
with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner
out
to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house
and fix the disposal." Take care of the golf balls first, the things that
really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee
represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to
show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always
room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Written by Sharon L. Ward
-------------------------------

Especially as I try to figure out what's going on in my life... it's so very easy to get swept up in an occupation or hobbies or STUFF. For example, someone might laugh at me and say, "Wait wait... so WHAT time are you getting up in the morning to tailgate?? 7 freakin 30??? But the game isn't until NOON!!" Yea well... maybe it's a little more than tailgating to me. Yes I enjoy it. But it's also an excuse to see everyone that I haven't necessarily seen in a while. I could go on about other incidents in my life, but know this. I know I might not stay in touch with everyone like I used you. And at a risk of sounding like an after school special, all of you are important to me in one way or another. There are some that it's great seeing from time to time.. and there are others that I miss more than anything. My friends, my family... you all. You're my priorities.

If you know me, nice to meet you...

2004-09-21T23:41:00.000-04:00

Wine Wine Everywhere... and not a drop to drink. (yet)

I got a email tonight from someone who I haven't really heard from in some time. She mentioned to me how boring work is and how she enjoys finding ANYTHING to procrastinate. Apparently, reading this blog is on that list... so who am I to disappoint!! This one's for you dimple.

The big wine weekend. Vino Da Leone 2004. Believe it or not, Papa Leone went BIGGER and BETTER this year. More variety... more equipment... definitely "raising the bar." I must say that the day started out slightly... WET! Just picture this if you will. In order to prepare the bottles/press/barrels for the wine process, you need to first rinse them down with water. Then cover them in a Sodium Metabisolphide (spelling?) solution. Lastly, you need to rinse off the solution so everything is clean, sanitized, and ready to go. So here I am in my rain jacket, rinse, cleaning, and rinse various pieces of wine equipment...IN THE FREAKIN POURING RAIN!! Raining like cats and dogs, and I'm "rinsing" all of these things. Kind of a funny picture if you think about it.

But the day was a success and we managed to avoid anything that presented to be a problem. MAJOR THANX to Mr. Matt Girosky. He made the trip from UConn to Southington and helped us out ALL DAY LONG. I don't have exact figures for you, but we prepared a @#$%$ load of wine. Definitely over 250 gallons... possibly over 300. 8 different blends. Slightly more than the 190 gallons and three blends we had last year. I wonder what 2005 will bring...

Check out a few shots from the day:

Yes, that nasty purple liquid coming out of the barrel is the stuff that you and I will be consumely several months from now. Looks gross now... but later you'll thank me.

So not only was this a big weekend for the wine... but JACK MADE THE TRIP TOO!!! As you can see from the picture, "Grandpa" Leone was giving Jack is very first lesson in how to make wine. BUT there is other news as well.

Now... that's not just ANY shirt he's wearing...Look closer (and no this isn't one of those annoying jokes of things that make wicked loud noises trying to scare you... seriously look closer at Jack's shirt)

It reads, "I AM GOING TO BE A BIG BROTHER." CONGRATS CAREY AND MIKE!!!! WOO HOOO!!!! That's right ladies and gents, another one is ON THE WAY! Due date is looking to be around May. We couldn't be happier. Big Brother Jack is up for the role of "Big Brother." And what a way to tell the family... leave it to Care to think of something like making Jack a shirt. That girl I'll tell ya...

Do you think Jack could smile any bigger in this picture with Crazy Uncle Robbie?

Lastly, I would ALSO like to congratulate my oldest sister Chris and Brother in law, Brett on their... (drumroll please) TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! Na na na na... Truly Amazing Professor. Ten years down and they are just the best couple ever. Two lovable dogs and a beautiful house in New Hampshire (that I WILL see soon, I promise). I only hope that I have the same luck that they had these past ten years. Congratulations you two! :)

The clock is striking 12:14am and I think I'm starting to turn into a pumpkin. The show is going well and life is pretty busy right now. Another congrats goes out to the BESTEST LITTLE in the freakin world, Kate and our latest addition, KENTA!! (that's right... I'm a KKPsi Grandpa) Another Yankee fan mind you, too. I'm just getting to know him, but so far I think we got the best of the Beta Ups bunch (no offense to the other PMs) Lots to be seen with the process and I'm looking forward to being there ever step of the way... Good Luck Kenta.

And we have UConn and Army this Saturday
(yes, the BREAKFAST PILES will be in FULL effect)

Bed time... PRONTO.

Your the only one, who really knew me at all...

2004-09-08T22:34:00.000-04:00

I have to fit in a few words tonight...

Alright, no excuses this time around. I have a new layout, all sorts of things going on in my life... if I go too long without getting something down I DEFINITELY going to forget to write about certain events. Ok, enough jibber, let's get to it.

LAKE COMPOUNCE WAS AWESOME!! Thanks to Matt and Timmer, this was just a ridiculous night on so many levels. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: ESPN the Picnic. And this being the 25th anniversary year, ESPN would be going on all cylinders... and boy were they ever. Food, rides, games... They even hired professional pool plaer, Jeanette Lee to challenge ANYONE that dared take on the Black Widow. Unbelievable. And don't even get me going on the FIREWORKS!!!! !@#$!#@$!#$ Crazy Amazing Crazy. Tim, Matt and I rocked out on some rides including Down Time and Blouder Dash... then to end the night, Tim and I took on the Sky Coaster. INTENSE. Just a freakin awesome night...

UCONN FOOTBALL is BACK!!! We're talking Big Ben's Blue Grill, early mornings at the BIG Y in Manchester, cracking beverages @ 8:30 in the morning, and endless rounds of flipcup. We had a awesome time tail-gating last week. I can't tell you how great it is to see everyone again. Well, almost everyone (I'm talking about YOU, Dimple :) ) Yes, Kristen, you WERE missed. Hope to see you tailgating before DUKE!

Unfortunately I can't even go to the game itself... but for a good reason. Yes ladies and Gentlemen... Vino da Leone is BACK. The first year went fairly well, and this year we have no choice but to raise the bar. Papa Leone has got more grapes coming this year so just like Uncle Sam: WE NEED YOU!! That's right... September 18th (yes the day after the BC game) we are crushing grapes @ Noon. If you are around and have clean feet we need you help out... I'll be back with more information on what to expect this year. But expect good things. :)

One last thing! So all was said and done with the show I did in Naugatuck. Now it's onto yet another show. But this time in Southington. (woo hoo no more 1/2 hour commutes one way...) I was hesitent at first but so far I'm definitely enjoying it. We're performing Stephen Schwartz's CHILDREN OF EDEN. Same guy that wrote Godspell and Pippen. So the score is pretty good. We start acting on Monday. The people in the cast are great and I'm looking forward to seeing where this show takes us. Anyone that is interested, it runs in November around the 16th through the 20th, I think. Admission is Free...Donations excepted (a la Passion Play style). I'll be keeping you posted as this progresses.

Alright, this ought to tide you over for a little bit. I have a little something that I've been bouncing around in my head, but I'll save that for another night. (Aww man, I HATE it when he does that!)

Sorry... but the movies are calling. BIG Y TOMORROW MORNING!!!

Night y'all.

I'm dead on the surface, but I am screaming underneath...

2004-08-30T22:09:00.000-04:00

Just like Deion Sanders... I'm back...

The new layout has me inspired. I wanted to write last night but honestly, after I finally got everything to work properly, the ONLY thing I wanted to do was get to bed. The weekend totally bit me in the ass today. I was tired as @#$%@$#. Perhaps I should be admitting that I can't "hang with those crazy college kids."

Ehhh... I don't think I'm ready to admit that. ;)

By the way, Paul and Snookie... you guys get the "I don't care what it takes, I'm finishing this damn Power Hour" Award. It may have knocked you down for the count, but you as hell went out with guns-a-blazin. Rock on the Evil 80's Power Hour.
I always come to this point... when I want to talk about so many different things but I can NEVER remember them when it comes down to typing. I'll start with a mini summer review.
Concerts Attended: Incubus, Ben Folds/Guster/Rufus Wainwright, DMB (kinda)

Incubus was a good time with Mez-tek. Didn't know too many of the new tracks but came away that night with a few gems. DMB was fun in the parking lot before the concert. I can't remember too much after that. The BF/G/RW show was by FAR the best show of the summer. Thanx to a certain individual not ONLY did the FIVE of us get a ticket upgrade (Jared, Paul, Kate, Matt, and me)... but I freakin went backstage to meet everyone from Guster as well as Ben Folds himself. HOLY @#$%@$@#!!!! Thank thank you thank you thank you to this person. (I hope she reads this now...)

What else... can't stay on one topic too long here. The next big thing, Nick and Uncle Roland's trip to CT. AMAZING TIME. Nick and I totally pulled a gag on everyone in the family (Mom, Dad, and Uncle Roland). My dad thought I was performing an illusion at the ESPN company party. When in reality Nick and I were just setting him up so that I could make Nick appear in our house.
Hook... line... and sinker. It was perfect. Minus the 1/2 hour Nick spent in this tiny tiny basket waiting for everyone to come home.

There's a few things I haven't touched on... but I can't make this too long. So I'll close with one more thing. How could I possible not mention: Broadway Rocks. I went into this show thinking that I want to meet new people and enjoy myself. Maybe even land a contact if things went well.

What started as one thing... ended as something completely different. The rights to the show, Grease, were lost and we were forced to throw something together. A Cabaret if you will... songs from a vareity of shows that portrayed the 50's theme. It was COMPLETELY thrown together and I must say poorly organized. But somehow, we all got through it - and actually had a decent show by the end. Songs came together, the dances we had were pretty solid... even the costumes weren't too bad. (I definitely had the coolest Greaser jacket.) Now I'm not ashamed to admit this... and this is an exclusive here:

But I am glad that I did the show.

I met some AWESOME people which I hope to see in the near future. I enjoyed what we did on stage. I even enjoyed working with the staff on various aspects. I only hope that next time I decide to do a Naugatuck show... we don't try to do three months of work in 7 days time. I've heard rumors of what the next undertaking will be. Nothing is confirmed. But I will admit that I did in fact enjoy myself. (Hard to believe after all of the bitching you all heard me dish out about this show.) So listen up you Naugatuckians... let's figure something out soon ok?

Alright folks... that's a rap. I think I have enough on my plate for one evening. We have Jack stories to tell (the boy is ONE!)... Trips to talk about (camping!!!!)... UConn Football right around the corner, pictures, pictures, pictures, and a whole lot more. All that will have to happen another night. So I will try to live up to my end of this deal here. Just as long as you promise to procrastinate by reading this. Haha...

And like that...he's gone.

2004-08-29T21:18:00.000-04:00

The BRAND NEW layout...

So after several hours of plugging away... I'm finally happy with what I have up here. I put together a few things that make me who I am... I'm reminded day after day.

Here's to you fellow reader... thanks for finding my corner of the world wide web.

Sit back... relax... and enjoy the sites.

Take all of this... and you got me...

2004-07-19T22:36:00.000-04:00

Pictures say 1000 words....

Ladies and Gentlemen... the BOY is one year old.

Happy Birthday Jack!!!!

2004-07-18T22:58:00.000-04:00

My brain still hurts from last night...

So the Dave Matthews concert was last night @ the Meadows. Well... at least that's what my ticket says. As for me, I don't remember much. You know, there's always ONE person in the group and last night unfortunately "I was THAT guy." Grilling was fun when we got there @ 4. Food was awesome... many laughs had by all. It's too bad I kinda lost track of how MANY I was throwing back. Oh well... no use bitching about my blurry night. Although... I'm still paying for it as I type this. Hopefully I'll wake up with my head on straight tomorrow...

Where was I? I re-read my last post and it got me thinking about probably things I shouldn't be thinking about. Forgive my vague post. Put it this way... if you know me well then you know what I'm talking about. And if none of this makes sense to you, then chances are it's none of your business. Nothing against you guys, but writing about it here helps. Anyway, watching movies like Spiderman 2 and Anger Management... Is it good/bad that I'm thinking about "things?" Let me just say that sometimes I wish my life was like the movies. I wonder what things would be like if I acted on my feelings like they do in the movies. Would my life take an unexpected turn for the best? Or would I just end up in a deeper hole than I already am. I almost feel like after watching these movies SOMEONE is trying to tell me something. I always say that I wish someone could tell me what to do when making difficult decisions. Are watching these types of movies SOMEONE's way of telling me what to do? I almost feel like someone is watching me saying, "GO FOR IT!!" You know, like you do when you watch movies. Ok enough about this... time to change the subject.

Life is unbelievable. Get ready readers... I'm about to take you on a ride. Perhaps I already touched on this a few months ago when I went off about how I was only 23 and how I had my WHOLE life ahead of me... but I've been rudely awaken that SO MUCH of these life is yet to be had. Holy crap. Here I am 23 years of age and I can honestly say that I feel like I've been through a LOT in my lifetime thus far. High School drama, highs and lows, vacations to Maine, four years @ UConn, the trials of relationships and friendships come and go and the triumph of victory vs. the agony of times in your life that you choose to forget. Welcome to the first chapter. I have been SO DAMN lucky in my life so far. Here I am complaining about the drama that my life has to offer when there are SO MANY problems that I haven't had to face. Well, had to face yet at least. I just finishing watching Mystic River and it got me thinking about this. Family Friends Loved Ones Neighbors - there is SO much in this life yet to encounter between me and the people I am in contact with. I guess watching this movie has gotten me to open my eyes a little wider. I'm only a single, 23 year old person and I have a lot waiting for me. You think you've been through a lot in your lifetime, Tony? Well get ready - cause you ain't seen nothing yet.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!!!! I'm writing this from Biddeford, ME. Hopped in my car this morning to join in the festivities of my godson's FIRST birthday. (Don't worry... the pictures are coming.) IT was great. His real birthday isn't until Tuesday but this is the best I could do. Coming up here already puts the mailroom in a difficult position with me gone tomorrow. Jack was great per usual. Mike's side of the family came and we had a wonderful time. The moment of the day goes to Jack diving into his VERY FIRST birthday cake. I think it took appox. 1.4 seconds before he had blue frosting in his hair. IT was histerical. Hard to believe it's been a whole year since Jack has been born. This time last year I was leaving Kristen's sister's wedding in Mystic, CT. Amazing what takes place in a year...

So the drama of my life continues to take shape. Due to the public audience that this post has I'm not going to disclose any names. I just want to say that you are in my prayers man. Whether it's a phone call, chilling, a beer, or anything at all... don't think for a second that I'm not there. Never under estimate the power of prayer and let me tell you that there are a lot of people out there praying for you. You WILL beat this.
---------------------------------------------
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child,
is when I carried you.”
----------------------------------------------
Good night...

2004-07-07T23:54:00.000-04:00
Here I go again on my own...

I know it's late... and unfortunately now isn't the time for me to get this out, but I definitely have a few thoughts on my mind after watching the NEW Spider Man Movie and Anger Management. Like I said, now isn't the time... but soon.

Thanks for being patient with me. I guess this post is just a helpful reminder for me to clear my mind some point soon so I don't lose this train of thought.

Rock on to the Turf Softball team. Heck, our record doesn't reflect how much fun we have I know. But our time will come. Who knows... perhaps Monday will be our day. Let's just try to limit - "THE INNING" - and we should be in much better shape.

Alright, bed time STAT. Bye y'all.

Flush my worries down the drain, and fly away to somewhere new...

2004-06-28T22:32:00.000-04:00
The more I talk, the less I can't stop...

I'm not very good about stay in touch with my friends. A good friend of mine took the time to remind me about that the other night. I don't know what it is. I just need to organize my time better I think. I mean, yes, I work a LOT. 5 days...sometimes 6 days a week and days are 10 hours long for me. But I come home and certain days you do this... and certain days you do that. But no matter what it is you do, there always a LIST of things you didn't get to. Case and point - THIS BLOG! My room is upside down, I didn't get to work out today, and I haven't picked up my trumpet in months. In yet, I don't know where the time goes. I find that when people hop online for that brief period of time when I check my mail I can catch up with a few of them. That's about it. My life is made up of Working Out, Judo, Softball, Acting, ESPN, and Computering... I NEED to get some trumpet in there soon. It's been too long.

Back to my point, I'm sorry for those that read this that I fail to keep in touch like I used to. Being apart from everyone makes things a little more difficult and sometimes, I have to settle for an email just to keep in touch. I was fortunate enough to see a lot of people @ Sara's Graduation Party this weekend. Haven't seen her grandparents in so LONG!! And it was awesome seeing everyone too... makes me look forward to Football season when tailgating will be a week to week ritual.

I guess what I'm driving at is patience. Make the effort and effort will be returned. My apologies to this person that has given me effort and I'm the ass for not returning the favor. Lucky for me, she's a patience person. (I hope...)

A quick update of where I am now... ESPN Mail Services. But I'm in such a different spot then I was a few months ago. I've been in contact with several different people regarding jobs in the .COM department. As it stands, nothing is available but that's alright. My position in the mailroom is getting more and more involved and I'm very comfortable about where I am right now. Thanx to an awesome presentaion a few weeks ago, a ESPN Mail Services website is in the works. We did a HUGE Cost Savings Analysis of ESPN and things are already paying off... Eric, DJ, and I spent last Sunday at the Yankee game versus the Padres. Wait, you mean, you were at the game where there was two outs in the bottom of the 9th and Matsui and Kenny Loften hit back to back home runs to tie the game only to lose the lead in the 12 and then TAKE BACK the lead and win it 6-5 in the BOTTOM of the 12th????
Yeah, I was there...545 Pride.

And just so you know, I DID in fact send out a Survivor application right before the deadline. Hey... you never know... I'll keep y'all posted on my 1,000,000,000 to 1 shot chances...

So what's a entry without a update of that little guy from Maine. Yes sir, Jack Johnson is approaching is FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!! July 20th baby look out. Not to mention two of my sisters' birthdays fall in July as well. I need to put some money aside! So July will no doubt be full of mini trips. Perhaps a quick one up to New Hampshire or Maine if I can manage... I know I'll be Boston bound next weekend to visit Mezzetti for the Incubus concert... Actually now that I think about it... I'm hitting up a lot of concerts next month... Incubus this Saturday, Ben Folds/Guster/Rufus Wainwright 7/10, then DMB 7/17... EXCELLENT!!!

I'm off to a good start. Time for Bed and a brand new day tomorrow. Ciao.

I don't know where I'm going... but I'll know when I'm there...

2004-06-28T20:15:00.000-04:00
It's time to turn over a new leaf...

This page is turning into a spill over of what's on my mind. I don't write for a while and my brain fills up with thought after thought after thought...

Well, my head is full and there's blogging to get done. I'll be back in an hour or so to write - time to go be productive while there are a few hours left in the day.

Oh... and I think I've reached the end of my HUSKY PRIDE. Not that I'm renouncing my Huskymaniaship... but like life, all good things must come to an end. So with that, I am in the process of a new layout - perhaps it'll light a fire under my ass to write a little bit more.

Then again, I might just be a creature of habit and write an entry like once a month. ;)

Be back in a few...

2004-04-25T22:50:00.000-04:00
The clock is ticking...

So I came home today and got a serious case of the motivation bug. I don't know what came over me. I just wanted to get on all of the side projects that I've been putting off (i.e. THIS BLOG!!). Hopefully I can keep this up... but in order for that to happen, I need consist sleepage... ok ok times-a-wastin'. Here we go:

Last post had to do with UConn heading into the Championship Game vs. The Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. A rematch of the PRESEASON NIT Tournament. Well, in case you've been living in a a freakin bubble for the past few weeks: WE WON!!!

And just when you think that it couldn't get ANY better... the Lady Huskies decide to make HISTORY by completing the NCAA College Basketball sweep. Mens and Womens. Thus establishing Storrs, CT as:The Mecca of College Basketball. You know, being from Connecticut ain't so bad after all...

And you thought YOU were excited that the UConn Huskies won Dual Championships...

So right along the same time as the Championships... Passion Play took over my life. And I couldn't be more happy about that. It was a tremendous experience between all of the relationships with old friends... new friends... truly something that is difficult to put into words. I definitely hesitated back in January whether I should sign up for Passion Play. But now that I've gone through it again at this point in my life, signing up will be a no-brainer in years to come. I can't thank everyone enough for making this year an amazing year all together. I hope to not lose touch with everyone!! (You know who you are!!!) If you get a moment, look at the High Quality pictures on the Passion Play website. These shots are breath-taking. Unbelievable...

So that's that. And I'm headed to bed. Before I part, I would like to congratulate our NEWEST class @ the Delta Omicron Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi: BETA TAU!!!! You guys are the FUTURE of this fraternity. Make us Proud. You shined when it counted and you pulled together when you needed it most. I am proud to call each and everyone of you my Brother.

Until next time...

I'll see you soon...

2004-04-25T11:38:00.000-04:00
Ready or Not... Here I come...

No time to sit and type right now... but there's a whole lot to talk about... update... etc.

So all of your faithful toenee11 blog readers... check back later on tonight.

Motivation...

2004-04-04T10:56:00.000-04:00
They said it couldn't be done...

2004 NCAA MENS BASKETBALL SEMI-FINAL
UCONN 79 - DUKE 78

Impossible is nothing...

2004-03-28T23:11:00.000-05:00
Enough Said...

BRING IT ON!!!!!!

2004-03-27T09:43:00.000-05:00
Long time no see....err write...

My apologies for not staying up-to-date with my journal entries. Unfortunately this will be brief as well because I'm on someone else's computer...

Things are good right now. But busy... and getting busier. It's hard to believe that one week from today the Passion Play kicks off. My mind is clearer now... I'm having so much fun getting to know and re-know everyone in the cast. A lot of familar faces... some brand new... I remember back in January I was questioning whether or not I should participate this year... now I write this one week from opening night: And there's no question I should have done it. For those that are interested... I hope you can make it out to see it!

Anyone else's pool completely ruined? Haha... BIG GAME today... Down, down, down...BAMA'S GOING DOWN!!! The Huskies first test if you ask me. It's so amusing to hear the NCAA Bball analysts over and over again preeching about the various teams that they think will win it all and why they think so... then in a flash of brilliance those "unbeatable" teams are completely upset. Dickie V had Kentucky... OOPS!!! Then you have Andy Katz with Stanford... ummm NO! I must say too, I am surprised that Jay Bilas was sticking to his guns. I mean, Duke Alumni n' all... he has UConn going the whole way. My money's on UConn...

Ok, I'm being rude typing on this now... so pictures will come soon when I get a second @ home. For now, it's a UConn weekend: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE!!!! We went out to dinner last night and just talked the whole night away about everything and then some. Seems like there's so much we didn't talk about too... Great seeing you Kate!! As for today, I'm making plans with a Miss Lindsey Farrell and UConn Basketball around 4:30pm. I'm contemplating sticking around Sunday for the KKPsi meeting too. We'll see if it fits in the schedule. So all in all... it's a UConn weekend. Talk to y'all soon.

I hope you landed on your feet...

2004-03-03T22:32:00.000-05:00
If I could find the words at this point... I'd say them.

My mouth is dry. I'm a bit short of breath. My palms are sweaty; practically numb from clenching them so tightly. I struggle to find the words but settle for complete silence for a few moments.

In other words, I just saw The Passion of Christ.

We rushed out the door, my mom and I, to go see what all of the hoopla was about.

What's funny about my state right now occured when I was asked what my take of the movie was. I didn't really have an answer. I felt happy to have seen it, sad to have seen what was done in the movie, motivated to jump into my role of Judas in this year's Passion Play, devistated to see what Jesus went through... I'm just a plethora of emotions right now. One big melting pot. Numbing... Draining...

Did I enjoy the movie?

Why yes I did. And seeing it on a video just would't do it justice. This is a movie that is worth seeing. It's powerful. It's intense. I definitely was not disappointed.

Must you betray me with a kiss?

2004-02-22T22:39:00.000-05:00
Back from an eventful weekend...

When you take my birthday, a UConn game, a Rockapella Concert, three sisters in three states, two dogs, one brother in law, and one sick Jack baby... you have my last weekend.

But we fit it all in.

I don't know how it all happens but the weekend flies by. It was so nice having everyone back in CT. This house was FULL let me tell you. From barking dogs to Jack crying... it was kinda crazy. As you have already probably figured out, Jack was pretty upset this weekend because he was sick. Poor little Guy. He was weezing all weekend... I hope he gets better soon.

Saturday was non-stop. From a morning workout @ Judo... to the UConn game @ the HCC... to dinner with the family ...presents... cake ...Rockapella ...we did it. The GAME was GREAT. I don't know what was going on with Ben Gordon though... seemed like something was messed up - like his shots no going in the hoop. The cool part of the game was when someone approached me with an envelop. It read something along the lines of "we're looking for crazy college hoops fans! And YOU'RE INVITED!!!" So we took a picture in front of the court @ Halftime. Check out the link: www.screensavers.com It sounds like our picture will get posted in the next few weeks and then it has to go through some voting process. So VOTE FOR US if you see us on this webpage anytime soon...Here's the shot we took:

I ended up surprising two of my sisters with a Rockapella concert on Saturday night (Chris and Brett couldn't make it). They had NO idea... hook - line - and sinker. It was an AWESOME concert. Everything from WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO? to A CHANGE IN MY LIFE. Two encores and three standing ovations.

Sunday - everyone gather there stuff and headed out (By the way Care, you forgot Mike's NEW bag!!!) Helped Papa Leone with his Wine Making Shelf. He's taking a real liking to his wine process. I'm trying to learn all I can. There's so much to know!!! Quick visit to the Grandparents for my grandmother's brithday (84!!!). And back again... and right now I'm out of here.

One more thing actually - Thank you everyone so much for sending me your birthday wishes. From email cards to actually cards in the mail (THANK YOU KRISTEN!!! :)) Just makes you feel so damn lucky to have people that care about you that much. Thank you so much... you guys are the best.

Are you the craziest college hoops fan in America?

2004-02-15T22:43:00.000-05:00

2004-02-10T23:22:00.000-05:00
Life is very interesting.

I think that every year after your high school years - you truly feel as if you have a strong grip on life and what it has in store for you. Once you are in college, I felt like I was so much MORE mature than I was back in those hazy days of high school. Then you start growing in college thanx to classes, exams, quizzes, parties, relationships, various clubs and organizations - they all take the word STRESS to a whole new level.

You grow.

You learn.

Better yet, you learn from your mistakes.

Soon relationships take the front seat in your life. You balance everything you have and get to know the true meaning of time-management. Some friends change while others grow closer to you. Sometimes, even relationships change. You learn heartbreak - you thought you knew the meaning of love. Thanks to the supporting cast of friends and family you dust yourself off and maintain all that you have going on.

You learn.

You grow.

You learn from your mistakes.

You begin to learn from other people's mistakes as well.

You feel stronger having been through all that you've been through. And here you are years into college - SOOOOO much more mature than those pesky little time period when you were a "freshman." Soon you find yourself to a senior. Head of the class with all eyes on you. You are a MASTER at balancing more than you ever imagined. Stretching yourself so thin it ACTUALLY feels good to sit down. You value those 4-5 hours you get sleep at night. (Hey, at least you aren't studying or reading something.) Perhaps relationships become intertwined in your life again but at this point you just aren't sure what to do. You panic putting work and structure before all else in your life. Focused solely on balancing your life. Then you graduate. Friends move away and some stay behind to finish school. You have seen it all. What else is there to learn in life? I have been through hills and valleys... the good the bad and the ugly and here I am a college graduate. Look out world. You learned... You have grown...You have learned from your mistakes and have created a system in your mind that is the best way to live. How to deal with this and that and the other thing...When all of a sudden. BAM! You find yourself re-thinking situations. What if? What if I did those things different in college - would I be where I am today?

I honestly have no idea WHERE I'm headed with this... and I apologize for my rambling/stream-of-conciousness. Here's the point, I think. Learn from things you do... Mistakes are there to teach you... Just because you have been through several grueling years of classes, love, relationships, friendships, truimpts and defeats, there is ALWAYS more to be learned. I have been through some wild times in the past four years - some I'm proud of, some I'm not, some I get misty-eyed thinking about, others get me fired up, but this is true: Everything Happens for a Reason. (You think I named this page that by accident?) Although I been through all that I've been through, the thought still gives me the chills:

I'm going on 23, and it feels as if I'm starting over.

It's scary, sad, and exciting all at the same time. Remember how smart you thought you were when you were a Senior in High School? Imagine how you'll feel when you look back at where you are today, years from now...

Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, with open arms and open eyes.

And you think you know...

2004-02-08T22:30:00.000-05:00
Cutest kid this side of the Mississippi...

Enough said... Thanx for a great weekend Care & Jack.
See you in two weeks...

Just wait 'til he starts talking...

2004-02-08T22:25:00.000-05:00
Do you find the song...or does the song find you?

I'm not a perfect person
there's many things I wish I didn't do
but I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
and so I have to say before I go
that I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
to change who I used to be
a reason to start over new
and the reason is you

I'm sorry that I hurt you
it's something I must live with everyday
and all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
and be the one who catches all your tears
that's why I need you to hear

I've found a resaon for me
to change who I used to be
a reason to start over new
and the reason is you
and the reason is you
and the reason is you
and the reason is you

I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
and so I have to say before I go
that I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
to change who I used to be
a reason to start over new
and the reason is you

I've found a reason to show
a side of me you didn't know
a reason for all that I do
and the reason is you.

I'm not a perfect person...

2004-02-03T23:28:00.000-05:00
Nobody said it was easy...

I think I might have used that quote before. I'm too tired to look back and check. You can't go wrong with a quote from Coldplay.

It's late... too late to be writing. But I wanted to get something on here. Saw a GREAT movie tonight. Falls right into the category of a RUDY or a MAJOR LEAGUE. Quality movie.

Plus the fact that it's true to a certain extent makes it that much better...

Looking forward to the weekend right now. Carey's coming down with the ol' Jack pack from Maine. I bet he's gotten bigger even in the few weeks I haven't seen him. He's cute has heck now... just wait until he starts talking.

There you go... something to nibble on until I decide to blog at a decent hour next time.

Until then...

And the reason is you...

2004-01-27T22:51:00.000-05:00
Where do we go from here?

For being an online journal, I really have to dig deep down and stop myself from writing stuff that I truly don't want people to know about. I mean, there are points-of-views, and opinions, and such... but there are just some things you cannot write about.

Consider this post, one of those times.

I'm just going through a very very weird time in my life. Something you want so badly it makes you think weird things in weird ways. And when things don't happen the way you want them to, you have no idea WHAT to think. And you're left figuring out where the step is...

I just have to remember the good in my life. Friends, Family, Job, and Health... I'm luckier than most people and sometimes I'm so worked up about one particular thing that I completely overlook the important things.

Ok. Last night was a late night and I can't do that again... let's leave the blog on a good note. I know... a picture of Julia, Jack, Kristen and myself. Sweet Dreams ;)

Nobody said it was easy...

2004-01-22T23:00:00.000-05:00
Don't frown because it's over, smile because it happened...

As promised, I have a few new pictures for you to take a gander at. Starting back on December 18th when Miss Kate Cummings accompanied me to the 2003 ESPN Holiday Party held at the Aqua Turf in Southington, CT. What a night. For starters, let me just give you an idea of how LARGE this was. I've had all sorts of banquets at the Aqua Turf. Baseball banquets, my sister Christine's wedding, Senior Proms, etc. In those cases, we rented out ONE room. What does ESPN do? They freakin' rent out the ENTIRE AQUA TURF!!! Unbelievable. Open Bar all night... Hot/Cold snacks... not to mention the fact that took a shed that is used for lawn equipment (tractors, mowers, etc.) and transformed it into ESPNZONE - The Sports Bar. Did I mention I enjoy working for ESPN?

So onto other things... The job is approaching 6 months (how long I've been with the Company). So there is definitely a little buzz about WHERE I might be headed... nothing is formulating yet but it makes for good conversation. I'll keep y'all posted on the who's, where's, what's, and why's as they become available.

Then of course... what's an Blog update without the bestest kid this side of the Mississippi. As my sister put it, the Next American Idol - Jack Johnson. My sister has yet again amazed me with a total site re-vamp and more Jack pictures to boot. Rock on Care... can't wait to learn all of your new web tricks. This latest picture is Godfather and Godson taken at the Rice Family Xmas Party. I was fortunate enough to have Kristen come and join our crazy family for a day of memories, Christmas cheer and babies babies babies...She FINALLY met JACK for the FIRST TIME! I think he made a good impression on her too! ;)

I need to get to bed. But lastly I want to leave you with a wonderful picture taken of my late Grandmother and Grandfather Rice. My mother's parents. Grandpa passed away back in 1991 and just recently my Grandma passed away only 18 days ago. I forget the exact date of this picture - but with all of the recent family events we came across a bunch of old pictures. Here's one taken on the wedding date of my Grandparents.

It was ironic how she passed and days later I went and saw Big Fish in the theatres. Those who have seen it know what I mean. If we continue to tell the stories and teach the lessons she taught us - she'll live on forever in all of us. The last few years of her life I can imagine were quite difficult with her slight memory loss. Now that she's passed on to join my Grandfather in Heaven, I can't help but picture the two of them together like they are in this picture without a care in the world - looking down on us all - simply HAPPY to be together again.

Good night bloggers...

Fly away to somewhere new...

2004-01-21T23:08:00.000-05:00

2004-01-18T23:19:00.000-05:00
A few words...to break the silence.

I'm back. Just briefly tonight... it's already 11:09pm and you know who has to work tomorrow. I know most people have tomorrow off but I jumped at the chance to work. It's time and a half and I could use a few extra $$$ right now. Especially after I just dropped my entire checking account on my car insurance...

I'm hanging in there. I've been going through my life these days with a different perspective. Not sure how to describe it... I can't be sad, things in my life are really working out. The job is going nicely... and good things are happening for me and my opportunities to move into another department... I enjoy living at home: My parents are great and I can save $$$ at the same time.

I guess it's weird now that people have been talking about "going back to school." I think it is really starting to hit me that I don't have to go back to school right now. Down the road, I have all intentions of getting my masters, but right now I am where I am. People are heading back to schools in Boston, Pennsylvania, NYC, UConn... and I'm here.

It was a good weekend. I got to see a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while at Steve's surprise birthday party. GREAT times with various people not to mention the irish car bombs that we enjoyed throughout the evening. I guess I just never appreciated the times I had at school. I know that is a random statement to make while I'm talking about a great weekend. But I always had somewhere to go... "Where's the party tonight?" "Who's place are we going to now?" "What am I going to drink tonight?" And now I'm home and I only see some of these people from time to time. Kinda makes me wish I was back at UConn... so things could be the way they used to be. There are several things I would have done different. Situations I would have acted differently. People I would have treated different. Ok ok... kinda crossing that line now. I better stop while I'm ahead.

Happy Birthday Steve... hope we can all keep in touch.

You give me love over... love over this...

2004-01-04T21:31:00.000-05:00
I know you are watching from above now. Finally you and Grandpa can be together again. Thank you for all you've taught me. You will be truly missed. Your legacy will live on in our thoughts, in our hearts, and in our minds. I only hope that we will be able to teach the younger generation what kind of impact you had on our lives. That is my gift. Although you may not walk among us anymore, your spirit will never be forgotten.

Ethel Ann Kreppel Rice
February 13th, 1913 - January 4, 2004

2003-12-21T22:40:00.000-05:00
Sail away with me honey...

It has been a pretty wild ride these past two weekends. Both spent in NYC! And let me tell you, I'm freakin' exhausted. Last weekend I dealt with trying to drive home in the blizzard of '03 with the Downeys (appox. travel time: 5 hours one way!) and this past weekend I took the train in from New Haven... I'm very happy to be back home with comfy clothes on while I am moments away from crashing in my bed. But first... there's some blogging to be done...

I have been taking the easy route with this blog by not putting up any new pictures. But never fear... I'm making up for it tonight. Now I know it is a bit outdated, but I wanted to post a picture of my Thanksgiving Experience this year: the Manchester Road Race. I was definitely a bit nervous going into it seeing as the last race I ran was back in 1985 with my family. But since Thanksgiving was going to be small this year and with Kristen as my motivation, I wanted to give it a shot. Let me tell you, it was SO MUCH FUN! The entire race was appox. 4.7 miles. As you ran the course there was so many things going on all around you that you didn't realize that you running so much! People all dressed up from a bride and groom to the Grinch that Stole Xmas. There was live music, bag pipes, house blasting the theme from "Rocky"... Kristen and I ran the whole thing together too so it was nice to have someone to talk to throughout the race. And yes, Kristen DID beat me going over the finish line...

Fast-forward a bit after Thanksgiving until about two weeks ago. Beth and Rob asked me to bring my trumpet to NYC to play a little bit with the band. They had some studio time reserved and also had the crazy notion of including me and my trumpet on a few of their songs. Turned out that we figured out about 4-5 different horn lines for the songs and everything just worked out perfectly. It is a great feeling to alone SEE and HEAR these guys play live in NYC but to have the opportunity to PLAY with them is freakin' surreal. And based on the responses the trumpet added a new element to the band that the listener definitely enjoyed...So many people came out to hear the band @ the Living Room too. So then as this past weekend was coming up, I ended up making yet another trip to NYC and played with them AGAIN! It was awesome. I was accompanied by a buddy of my from work, his friend Ryan, and my old roommate Mike. Good times had by all...(Stay Tuned for pictures!)

The NEW batch of Vino Da Leone will soon be ready at a store near you! Well, not really at a store near you but needless to say some of the wine has been bottled and is ready to (hic) ummmm...it's a...(hic)...he..he..umm..red.... red tea too drink. :) I actually only had a little sample of the white that was made. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of times to taste the other stuff. With the help of a NEW flatbed scanner, my dad and I designed the latest wine label too... It's a old wedding picture of Grandma and Grandpa Leone (my dad parents). Taken around the time of September 4, 1939 - their wedding date.

Alright, I think I've bored you all enough...(most of you probably even stopped reading at this point). So I leave you with this guy who continues to get cuter by the day...(and BIGGER!)

Stay Tuned for pictures of the ESPN Christmas Party that was last week (thank you for an AWESOME time KATE!) and pictures of this past weekend in NYC...

Nite y'all...
We gotta go where we can shine...

2003-12-08T23:18:00.000-05:00
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

So it's been a while... and just when you think no one is reading your blog page you get an IM saying, "Ummm...Come on now! Let's see a new entry here!" So who am I to disappoint my fellow reader(s)... Tonight will be short and sweet... it's already 11:00 and you'd be surprised how quickly 5:30am rolls around...

I guess I went off on a bit of a tangent in my last entry. People that go through life unhappy. It's sad but not much you can do... Do you best to cheer them up and just keep going...

Things are really falling into place @ ESPN. I'm beginning to feel very comfortable with my fellow mailroom workers as well as a few people that I've met on campus. Sometimes it just blows me away that I'm working here. Today for example, I couldn't deliver the mail right away because they were shooting a new Sportscenter commerical in the hallway that leads to the mail drop-off area. That's FREAKIN' COOL! So when you see Mike Greenburg on top of his head in the next SC commerical just think: Tony is on the other side of that camera about 15 feet away. And from what I here they are filming more tomorrow so maybe I'll have a new story to tell...

DJ and myself have also been busy working out. He introduced me to this guy Sean, who works in Facilities-Electricians. The three of us have been trying this circuit. That just means that you are constantly at a machine or doing an exercise. It freakin' kicks your ass... I've been trying it for about a week so we'll how it goes in the weeks to come...

I FINALLY FINISHED BOOK FOUR - HARRY POTTER - GOBLET OF FIRE!!! So without further adieu, I grabbed my mom's copy of ORDER OF THE PHOENIX and I'm ready to fire this one up too...Speaking of... it's about that time...

One foot forward...one foot back...

2003-11-12T20:21:00.000-05:00
Trying to make lemonade the best way I know how...

I feel bad for some people. They go into everyday life with nothing but complains. Rather than ask them, What are you up to today?? Or What's new?? - You feel like asking them, So what's wrong today? It blows my mind how people can live that way. I see it day in and day out @ work. What a crappy way to live! Don't get me wrong. No one really likes to get up everyone morning @ 5:30am...

That's not what I mean.

It's the complaining that occurs once you are there. It's almost as if people get a thrill when "something doesn't go wrong." As if they expect everything to just screw up all the time. Now if I notice like someone is having a bad day, then most of the time I'll try to make an honest effort to turn their day around. Make them laugh. Make a joke. Something. And if that doesn't do the trick then I just let anything they say roll right off my shoulder. Just because someone is having a bad day, doesn't mean that they can bring me down too. So I try to do what I can with those lemons that they throw @ me...

Work today was simply what you just read. No not everyone was moopy. But it's today was just a weird day. Blame it on the weather. Blame it that it's Wednesday. I don't know. After talking to one of my co-workers today, DJ, things just turned my day around. If you don't find the good in life where you currently stand: It's going to be a long life. Enjoy every moment...

Now let me explain this picture. The ESPN Mail Services Morning Crew. Myself, DJ, and Rick. We are all their before 7am to get the Mailroom going for the day. Split up the newspapers, pick up the post office mail, drop off some interoffice things. We're pretty non-stop before 9am. Which was the basis of our motto:

We do more before 9am, than you do all day.

And ironically, we were the ONLY ones in the mailroom to dress up: A Die Hard Husky Fan, the Slim Jim Man, and a hippy. Imagine going to ESPN only to have these crazy clowns deliver your morning paper. Only @ ESPN. I love it...

So after a solid workout and a trip to the Health Fair they had today... I'm ready for a shower and relaxation. DEFINITELY looking forward to tomorrow. Kristen and I are going to check out the Barenaked Ladies @ the Bushnell. Nothing like a little Subway for dinner and some live acoustic music. So make sure I'm nice and rested for that...

Good night everyone... until the next blog makes it's way to this page. Peace.

Some quotes are better left unsaid...

2003-11-09T21:10:00.000-05:00
Bedtime...Pronto.

What a weekend... Southington...to Rentschlur Field...to UConn...to Southington...to Giants Stadium...back to Southington...I'm done, finished, complete.

Total Miles travelled: 341.8

Total Hours of Sleep (since Friday @ 6:30am): 7 hours: 4-Friday night; 3-Saturday night.

Good times spent on Friday (Stuff and things), Saturday (HELL YEAH UCONN FOOTBALL!!! & MORE Stuff and things), and Sunday (GIANTS Stadium!). JAM PACKED weekend of fun. And Congrats to the OLD SCHOOL (you know who you are).

Final score: 7-3 Better luck next time ladies...

And with that in mind, I'm done.

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz.....

2003-11-01T00:09:00.000-05:00
To build, you must start from the beginning...

Pardon my profound opening line. It makes sense to me right now.

Alright first things first: I have the cutest GODSON...EVER!!!

Come oooooooon... This kid rockin out for his FIRST Halloween!

Looking forward to seeing you Jack in a few weeks!

Man, I don't know where to begin. Life is one interesting ride. And these past few months has been no exception. About a month or so ago things were just kinda chugging along. Nothing really great... nothing really bad. Just middle of the road so to speak. Things @ work were doing fine... Mailroom was kickin', I was active in Judo, living @ home... things were fine. You know, like if someone asks you: "Hey, how are ya? And you answer: "Alright." So you aren't GREAT but you can't really think of any one particular thing that's bothering you. It's really not the greatest way to live...

So after dealing with the adventures of living @ home, by myself, with not many people around...things lately are doing BETTER than alright. I mean, about a week ago I was on Cloud Nine. I was having FUN @ work... The Yankees were in the World Series after an amazing series with the Red Sox... I even HAD A TICKET to GAME SEVEN of the WORLD SERIES!!! UConn Mens Basketball was RIGHT around the corner... I couldn't really explain what or why everything was happening... it just all seemed to click @ once. As if somewhere at somepoint, I must have done something right to deserve all that I was getting. Truly Amazing Professor.

I've been doing all that I can do in order to maintain that awesome feeling. It's tough. One thing I can say is that since it's been so long since I've been so happy with things, I have an amazing appreciation for it. By simply being in a good mood. It's the small things that add up to an amazing high. I can't even tell you the last time I felt this happy about life. Well, it's not for this Blog. Sorry readers.

Work today was funny. Only @ ESPN can I get away with wearing a shirt that says "I AM TEAM UCONN" along with a cowboy hat (straight from San Antonio), and a blue and white face. It was GREAT! I got so many compliments from various people including Sean Salisbury and Jay Harris. Who knows... perhaps people will remember me in the future when I start applying to other departments. It's all in WHO you know...

So as the clock strikes midnight... I really need to shut these eyes... UConn vs. Western Michigan tomorrow and I will be up BRIGHT and EARLY deep frying chicken @ 6:00am. Whoa nelly.

I have a lot of things swirling right now in the brain... but I've already said most of them tonight. And this Blog isn't the place for them... and this certainly isn't the time. I just hope and pray. Let's leave it @ that... I leave you with this: I have hope.

To love, and to be hurt often, and to love again--this is the brave and happy life. -J.E. Buchrose

2003-09-20T00:42:00.000-04:00
I feel the need to write...

It's late... so unfortunately this post won't contain any new awesome pictures of Jack or funky font colors and sizes... Work @ 8:30 tomorrow morning is getting closer and closer... but I figured since my computer is already on... I might as well an updated entry in...

So things with the mailroom are just cruising along. I have a great time with everyone I work with. Granted the job isn't luxerious but it's not bad at all. The day goes by quick. 6:30 am in... 4:30 am out... and Weekend Hours are automatic overtime pay. So... A. I need the money. B. The job is not hard. C. What else am I gonna do? So it all works out in the end. I'm getting a few more looks from various workers throughout ESPN... People are beginning to realize that I'm a full time employee...

Tonight I had an great time with Kristen. AND might I add we didn't eat the greasy, fried, "not the best thing for you" type of food. No sir. We had a nice Chicken Caesar Salad. HA! And you thought we were going to cave in and get NY Pizza... So after a lightining trip to the video store we went to....err... went to... well. For those select few that knew where we went... you already know we were there... and for those that don't know what I'm talking about...your loss. Afterwards, we watched IDENTITY. Good movie... some crazy plot twists... a solid rental if you are looking to get something...Then a quick drive home and here I am.

Congratulations to BETA SIGMA! 7 people... you have no idea what the journey entails. I wish you the best of luck...and believe me:
You'll need it.
But... I have faith in you guys... keep me posted on your progress.

And lastly before I go I'd just give a shout out to five special people. You know who you are. I'd just like to say... well, what I'm trying to say is... ehh. You know what? Sometimes you can't find the right words.
X
Enough said...You guys are awesome. And we WILL get together soon...

On that note... I'm off.

I pictured you in an orange grove...

2003-09-15T18:44:00.000-04:00
If you thought I was cute before...

just wait until I learn how to smile.

Yes my fellow readers.
It has begun.
The boy is learning how to smile.

2003-09-07T22:17:00.000-04:00
A little bit of everything this weekend...

Overall: A good weekend. Starting things off right with Timmer as we rubbed elbows with some of the phenoms of the Worldwide Leader in Sports (Michael Kim, Trey Wingo, Andy Katz, Kenny Mayne). Yes sir... ESPN bought out Lake Compounce for the night and Timmer and I had a BLAST! We ate so much food... rode as many rides as our stomachs would handle... got to see some live jazz at the Waterfront stage... And we each got a souvenir in the process (even if it took Timmer like 10 min. to make one basket...oh shoot...did I say that out loud? Hehe...sorry Tim.) Too bad our last picture riding the BoulderDash Rollercoaster didn't come out... it would have been easily the PICTURE OF THE DAY..

Meanwhile, Carey and Jack drove down from Maine and Beth came in from New York. So nice seeing everyone. Unfortunately, as ESPN schedule worked out, I was on to train in the Mailroom this Saturday. Can I get a whoa BAD TIMING? But it wasn't that bad really...Beth, Care, and my mom got to spend some quality time together while I work until 5:30. The work day went by pretty quickly... and we got to visit when I got home. After a great dinner and a few cannolis, Carey finally opened Kristen's gift. She LOVED IT! And as you can see by the picture, so did Jumpin' Jack...Unfortunately Kristen wasn't able to make the trip since she was absolutely buried in work... :( We'll figure out some sort of visit soon...ok? We fit in a short visit to the Grandparents condo in Bristol and then returned back hom to watch a little bit of DRUMLINE. Yes, he's only 7 weeks old and I'm already teaching him the ways of Talent, Unity, and Pride...

Sunday came and went, and Jack was soon on the road. I got to see Brendan and Dan's new place in East Hartford. Nice place. We ate some stromboli and watched football. Haven't really hung out with Brendan since the UConn game so it was nice getting together again. Speaking of UConn Football...2-0!!! Hell yeah boys... Keep it going. Bring your A game to Rentschler on Saturday. I'll be there BRIGHT and EARLY!! Which ALSO reminds me...WELCOME BACK BEN!!!Connecticut missed ya...good to have you back, bud...

Alright...back into the crazy World of Hogwarts and then I'm off to bed. (Book Four - Chapter 21!!) Heading into a long 5 day work week...good thing we have the UConn/BC game to look forward too...Until next time everyone...

And the truth is...I miss you...

2003-09-06T00:24:00.000-04:00
Knock knock...who's there...me. That's right...Tony's back.

So I apologize for a simple entry tonight. No blinking lights or new pictures to check out. You're just getting Tony Leone, raw and uncut.

I should also probably go into something like, "Oh, and I also apologize for not writing...blah blah blah..." I honestly wish I could write a little bit everynight... but when you work @ 6:30am...five days a week... unfortunately, sleep comes before blogging.

Enough of that... I am pretty tired after a long night @ the ESPN Picnic w/ Timmer. Great times tonight... Not too mention seeing Kenny Mayne, Michael Kim, Trey Wingo, and Andy Katz...between the games, rides, and food it was awesome. Although I think I ate my quota for the next week. Ribs, chicken, salad, funnel cakes, ice cream...ulll. Too Much. So I'm beat tired...And to top it all off...I have to work tomorrow. Major ulll. But, what can you do...

What else is on the old mind tonight. Well, lots of stuff of course. Highs, lows,...and some in-betweens. And of course I take it all in and stir it up...hoping for the best. Lots of prayers to get me through... and a heaping spoonful of HOPE. Everything happens for a reason... and I have a sincere hope that things will work out. It's just a matter of dealing with the hurdles life gives you while you attempt to move from Point A to Point B. And trust me... you'll know when I get there.

Hope things are going well out there with my fellow readers. I'm getting more used to the schedule so I will attempt to be more consistent. Have faith... I haven't gone anywhere... just a little busier these days.

And raise your glasses...here's to having faith in the future. Cheers...

2003-08-19T21:53:00.000-04:00
THIS JUST IN: JUMPIN' JACK FLASH VISITS CT...

So my sisters, brother-in-law, two doggies, and little Jack Johnson made the trip to CT this weekend. It was GREAT seeing everyone. And Jack...what's there to say? Seriously, he's adorable. And he's growing up so fast! I mean, everytime I see him, he's a little older. Eyes are open more, reacts more to what you do or say. If you haven't seen him yet, you're are missing out...

So visits visits visits this weekend...Not to mention I was able to re-connect with a lot of people that I graduated high school with. Some people I literally have not seen in four years. So we ate, drank, sat around in the hot tub catching up on everything...Great times. Even Ruark came down from Maine for the visit. Hopefully we'll be able to make a habit of these get togethers. Especially with everyone heading back to school so soon. (Or some people are already there!)

Yeah, I'm doing my best not to get down about everything. I'll be alright. Especially with ESPN taking up most of my time. Soon the paychecks will be coming in... Hopefully I'll get to know more people from work... Stay in touch with the people I met up with last weekend... AND stay in touch with people from UConn!!! Let me know what's happening up there guys... I'm only a 45 minute drive away...

So tomorrow I'm off to Counting Crows with Kristen. Looking forward to it of course... NY Pizza... Counting Crows... AND we'll probably run into a few faces we haven't seen since May.

Just what I need right now.

Rockin' the mailroom @ ESPN...Week 2...

2003-08-13T23:19:00.000-04:00
The Worldwide Leader in Sports...

After a stint of not writing in over a week. I'm back. Back...and employed. That's right...as of August 11th, 2003, I started my career as an ESPN employee. The only position available was a spot in the Mailroom. Listen...It's a foot in the door. That's the #1 benefit. I get to re-apply to other positions within the Company after 6 months while I continue to work in the Mailroom. So let's see now... That would make January 11th, 2003 my 6 month mark. I'm not sure where exactly I'd like to go either. There's a HUGE MIS department...but there's also departments like: .COM, MUSIC, PRODUCTION...who knows what'll be available then. So I'm aiming to keep my nose clean, work hard, be on time...and we'll hope for the best. For now, it's Mailroom City. The other people in the Mailroom are real cool though too. I'm looking forward to getting to know them better. I mean, it's only my third day and I feel like I've known these guys for weeks. And the Benefits... I almost feel like the Godfather in Old School. Discounts here, Free gym membership...it's real nice.

So other than my life revolving around ESPN, what else is going on you ask? I guess general it is alright. I had a great time with a bunch of friends that came out to my house for a cookout. Although it rained we found a way to enjoy each other's company and eat tons of food in the process. The baby bunnies got PLENTY of attention and it was GREAT seeing everyone too.

Then there's that other thing in my life.

Well, I don't know where things are going to be perfectly honest. It hurts as much as it did the first day...but I just try and take it the only way I know how...one day at a time. Not a day goes by without it crossing my mind. But, I can't let it get me down. God has a plan for everything.

Time for bed...6:30am is getting closer and closer...

If you haven't met the Star Wars Kid...you are MISSING OUT!!!

2003-08-04T21:46:00.000-04:00
They came, they ate, they visited, they left...

What a week. From Tuesday to Monday(today) my Uncle Roland and Cousin Nick stayed with me and my Dad. We packed it all in...visits to Grams, visits to friend's houses, Hartford nightlife, Workouts, Judo, visits with long lost cousins from Arizona, visits from our aunt and uncle from New Jersey, we established Vino da Leone (which was sampled on NUMEROUS evenings), and we ate. BOY DID WE EAT!

(That's my Grandpa Leone and my Uncle Gigi when they were 24 years old!!)

I don't think we could have packed in any more. We EVEN fit in a trip to 99. Got
the flavor for the fever? It's turned into a tradition I guess. Although it wasn't the same without our Irish cousin there. We miss ya Johnny...

What else what else what else...Summer Theatre was this past week as well. Kiss Me Kate was the show. GREAT job everyone...YOU are the reason I come back to play trumpet. I was honored to be a small part of all of your summers. Hopefully you guys will stay in touch...

And lastly how could I forget! This also signifies my LAST week of FREEDOM. Starting on August 11th, this kid is ESPN-bound. That's right...I got the job. Mailroom - At Your Service! You gotta start somewhere. I'm giving myself the goal to try and get promoted by next summer. That gives me about a year which is what my boss told me. I just have to work hard, and keep checking for opens in the various departments that I'll deliver to. Thankfully though, I'll finally have some steady income. I was afraid that the cell phone might have to go if I didn't get a job soon...

So now I trim down the meals again...get back to my daily workout routine. Not to mention, turn my attention to Harry Potter books and playing piano more...

The visit of the summmer...thanx guys...ciao...

2003-07-31T01:56:00.000-04:00
The Michigan Invasion Tour...

Four Leones in the same house... look out. My cousin Nick and Uncle Roland are out from Michigan and so far, we are having an AWESOME time. They came in on Tuesday and will be staying until Monday of next week. Great times. So far, we've managed to leave a substantial donation at Mohigan Sun...but all in good fun. At least Uncle Roland came out a winner. It's definitely nice to have these guys out to visit. Once a year deal kind-of-thing...

So tonight I managed to gather up some motivation and decided to hit up a local pub. The Half Door on Sisson Ave. per the request of Laura Q. Definitely a good choice, Laura. So myself, Nick and Laura fired it up at a local IRISH pub. Good drinks... good spirits... and I picked up a few new Italian words. Thanx to Prof. Pronto Nick Leone over here...

By the way... the job search is OVER!!! Lookout mailroom here I come. Yes folks, I'm the latest addition to the worlds greatest sports network, ESPN. I start on Aug. 11th in the mailroom. It's a great opportunity...and most importantly, a foot in the door. Lots of possibilities in this place. I'm sure I'll keep everyone posted on my status throughout the year...

So now I need to get some rest... two shows tomorrow for Summer Theatre...Whoa nelly. Take care everyone...until next time.

The thing MOST dearest to you will come true in time. (Fortune cookie that Nick got tonight...)

2003-07-27T23:50:00.000-04:00
Just when you think it was safe to read my blog...Pop Quiz.

So what do you get when you take:

G i v e u p ?

M y G o d s o n .

After a blogging drought...I'm back. Sorry to upset all of my readers. It's been an interesting few weeks. Highs and Lows...but I'm only here to focus on the positives. The wedding that I went to last weekend was wonderful. Everyone was all spiffed up in tuxes, dresses, suits...and everyone was in good spirits. It's hard to find the words that can describe the feeling you get. I mean, to be a part of such a memorable occasion in someone's life...you can't describe it. It's just a great feeling. I was honored to play Trumpet Voluntary as the bride(Tara) was walked down the aisle by her father. The entire weekend was nice. Visiting, joking, laughing, crying...moments we'll always cherish.

As I left Kristen's house on Sunday, I had two voice mails on my cell phone. The first was my mom: It's 10 am. Your sister is in labor. The moment we've been waiting for! The second voice mail was my sister, Care. Hi Ant. Your godson says hello. Waiting for you to come up and visit him. WHOA MAMA! W-w-w-hat? Did you said, GODSON? That would make me the GODFATHER? I was overwhelmed. So on July 20th @ 10:40am, the world welcomed Jack Paul Johnson with open arms. My nephew. My godson. Thank you God.

So after a few days up in Biddeford, ME, I headed back to CT. Maine was great. Got to visit with Ruark who is working in Ogunquit for the remaining weeks of the summer. And I was able to catch up with Kat. Gotta love Martels. Next time I'm up, Kat...we're going again. :)

Then is weekend came. Coffee Break city. I think I'm in like UCMB denial or something. It almost feels like I'm still in the band. So from 12:00 Friday to 12:00 Sunday ran their Coffee Break. I had a great time this weekend. I was even fortunate enough to have Kelly join me @ the beach on Saturday. BEAUTIFUL DAY.

Did you notice my haircut?
Oh, now I see.
Does it look long or short to you?
It looks short.
That's because I got a haircut.

Absolutely histerical...some people just never cease to amaze me. Here's another one:

I don't think I'm going to get the clam chowder.
You guys are from UConn?
I'm not looking forward to the traffic driving home.
Yeah I have family there.
Whelp, see ya later.
I was serious about that clam chowder, you know.

And yes, that was the ACTUAL conversation. Histerics. So after I filled my carb quota for the next few weeks: Donuts, Bagels, ...ullll. I finally made it home today. Nice work guys...And I'm certain that this is my last Coffee Break. No more all nighters on the side of the highway for this "old fart."

So as I nod off to sleep I'm looking forward to another packed week. Summer Theatre rehearsals everyday. Nick and Uncle Roland flying in on Tuesday. Mom heads off to Maine for two weeks. Plenty of stuff to focus on.

And with my chin up, and my eyelids falling...good night moon.

One day at a time...Praying for strength...

2003-07-14T00:48:00.000-04:00
Mind and Body...Spinning uncontrollably...literally...

What a weekend. I ate, slept and breathed Judo for Saturday and Sunday. Today was the Nutmeg Judo Games. I ended up in 3rd place out of four guys. Nothing to write home about but it was a good time...

So me and my life. Feelings like a damn roller-coaster these days. Thanx to some good friends and some advice...I'm trying to keep my head up. Let's just leave it at that. I don't even want to get into it. I'm moving on to things in my life that make me happy...The new bunnies, My nephew only a week or so away, placing 3rd in a tournament, ...Positive Outlook.

Thank you God for listening to me. You've been my guiding spirit 'til this point in my life. 22 years. And since YOU have brought me to these crossroads in my life, I have whole-hearted faith that you'll bring me through it as well.

Give me strength...give me courage to face this...

2003-07-09T00:50:00.000-04:00
To New Beginnings...And starting over...

Thanx to Timmer...I got asSASSinated tonight, J.Timothy's style...The SASS gets you every time... But, all in good fun. I try not to eat so late at night... but I also don't get together with Tim all of the time so it was a special occasion...good times. And last night I got to hang out with Jeff D... Free pool night at Murphy and Scarletti's. And we were also brought up to speed on the history of For Love or Money thanx to the waitress that was working there. I'm so glad I'm not into reality tv...

Thanx to Jeff and Timmer...you guys rock.
The Boys of Beta Xi Representing!!!
X
...enough said.

So I've been leaving my readers with a little drama these past few weeks. My apologies. Funny how life works out. I will tell you that as of my post the other night, that was rock bottom(I hope.). And I'm not looking for sympathy really. This situation is of my own doing, and now I have to face the music. If anyone is to blame...it's me. I created the scenerio...and now I have to deal with it.

Among all of the things that I pray for lately...I pray for strength most of all. I keep telling myself to take things one day at a time. Thanx to everyone that has been there for me. I totally appreciate it. And after all this I tell myself:
What doesn't kill you...will make you stronger.
I can definitely relate that to my situation...it's just the hard part right now...

Happiness comes more from loving than being loved; and often when our affection seems wounded it is is only our vanity bleeding. To love, and to be hurt often, and to love again--this is the brave and happy life. -J.E. Buchrose

I leave you with a little Coldplay lyric...

No one ever said it would be this hard, oh take me back to the start...

2003-07-06T23:26:00.000-04:00
It can only go up from this point...

2003-07-04T09:26:00.000-04:00
Where do we go from here?

So last night was the worst.

This blog entry isn't going to be that long believe me. I didn't get to writing in this last night because I was on the phone until about 3 in the morning. But knowing that I'm going to be gone for the entire weekend, I couldn't just let it sit...

So I don't know what life is going to throw at me next, but right now it's definitely "one of those times." Either way I go, it's going to be a rough road. I pray that a solution will come soon, I pray for strength. I have some of the best friends in the world. You know who you are.

Things to look forward to:
-Derrick & Carrie's Wedding
-Me, Lindsey Farrell and the 4th of July
-Day trip to the Cape for Danny Mac's grad party (can I get a whoa traffic)

So now I'm second guessing almost every move I make. Was I making the right decisions before? Am I making the right decision now? And the thing is: this is all my doing. No one else is at fault but me. And now only time will tell...but the bottomline is:

Everything Happens for a Reason...

Man, that's hard to believe right now...Happy 4th Everyone...

2003-07-02T23:28:00.000-04:00
Lovin' the weather...hating this feeling...

So I had a great time the past few days... The weather has been PERFECT. I've been eating like a king. My workouts are going more or less as planned. The pool is almost swimable. But...

I still have this lingering feeling...WTF.

And I'll tell ya, I'm very reluctant to write about any of this that has been on my mind. I'm afraid of what might come of it, if anything. And I'm also not one to write about my feelings. Like I'm wearing a big sign that says, "Hey Everyone, I like to tell my problems to the world." But there's some good in it all. I mean, these feelings are going to come out, one way or another. So Blogging is just my therapy for getting them out.

The sooner the better, I say.

And after some thinking by myself, I think I pinpointed what's going on in that brain of mine...and why I feel the way I do:

I'm afraid of what I don't know.

It sounds simple...but it rings true in so many ways. There's one in particular that I'm dealing with right now. It's hard. One of the harder things that I had to deal with in a long time. Not really sure what direction I need to travel in. (I sound like a freakin' fortune cookie.) I don't know...I hear advice from both sides. But in the end, it's only my decision. Another hurdle life just LOVES to throw at you...

Guess I'll quit the rambling and start being productive with my time. Like reading...and most importantly sleep. I'll leave you all with this...not sure if it'll make sense on the computer... but it's in my head:
Have you ever felt like you were doing the right thing...
...but felt like you were losing at the same time?

...Welcome to my world...

Anyway... I AM looking forward to spending the 4th of July with Lindsey. Rich, Joe, Heather, Lauren...you don't know what you are missing...Party Central. I'd also like to say that I'm excited for Derrick and Carrie... not to mention Earl and Jana... the BIG DAY is almost here...hard to believe it...Happy to see that I'm ending on a good note...

Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there...

2003-06-29T20:56:00.000-04:00
Great Times...Thoughts that linger...

It was the best of times...it was the worst of times. Seeing the familar faces at Steak and Graham's was definitely nice. Overhearing people talk about "going to UConn..." What a trip...And I was serious about Buckley guys... it was a good time no doubt. It's all what you make of it. Except for Sarah...I don't think they look kindly on parties on the Honors floor. Sorry... :)

Then it was off to Timmer's. Great times. More volleyball than I can handle. Enough food that you would normally eat in a week (we managed to eat a week's worth in about 5 hours...), laughs, praise, bon fire, and smores...if you ask me, it was the DEFINITION of what summer is all about. If you remember back, I talked about how college wasn't necessarily the BEST years of your life... because the friends that you want to stay in touch with you will...and the ones that you don't stay in touch with... aren't really worth staying in touch, hence you probably won't miss them. But the people at Timmer's Grad. Party... THOSE are people that will NO DOUBT stay in touch with. You guys are my rock...

I won't lie to you though... there are the quiet moments lately when I get my mind wondering. I have some weird thoughts stirring around upstairs...Gotta keep on going though. Don't know what will become of them, or if should even be thinking of them in the first place...but they are there...

Two week from today...NUTMEG JUDO GAMES. Time to kick it up a notch in the workout routine. I hope I can just hold my own...a win or two would be appreciated as well. We'll see...

Early entry on the page tonight... no more late nights for this cat.

At least not for the next two weeks...

2003-06-28T09:53:00.000-04:00
I'm not sure what to think...

What HomeStarRunner Character are you?

Today was a pretty productive day...Bought a new air conditioning unit @ Costco for Pops, got the pool water tested and bought all of the necessary chemicals, worked out, practiced some trumpet, created a brand new Gentle Way Judo Club, Inc website for my dad...

...made contact with a possible website client, I'll even read a little Dean Koontz before I close my eyes tonight...

So why do I feel the way I do right now?
(WARNING: IF you are those kind of people that do NOT like to read about someone rambling on and on...just STOP reading right now. Ok, with that being said...game on...)

I just don't get it. I think a lot has to do with something that I had on my mind the other night. I was REALLY looking forward to getting some thoughts onto my page here and of course, it's JUST MY LUCK and Blogger is temp. out of service due to updating. Now here I am, and I can't remember what it was all about...oh wait...time out. I remember. But unfortunately I have to keep reminding myself that this website is a PUBLIC JOURNAL. Anyone who's anyone can read it... and there are a few things that even you blogworld, don't need to know about.

It's a double-edged sword. Many times I wish I could just see the future so I wouldn't have to worry about the present. Other times, I have to keep my Grandmother's faith, which ultimately lead to the creation of this journal:
Everything Happens For a Reason.
Find out about the future...let life take it's course... Well, I got this far with that quote in mind...it has carried me through some pretty rough times. Sometimes I don't understand why things are happening...But down the road I see why. It's just frustrating when you are going through a time that cannot be explained...does that even make sense? Well, no offense everyone, but it makes sense to me...excuse me for being a little selfish... I was reading various away messages in instant messager the other day...one of the more simpler ones caught my eye...and I leave you with a very wise saying:

Dance your cares away,
Worry's for another day.
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock. ...Thanx Dorie...

If only life were as simple as Fraggle Rock...

2003-06-24T00:10:00.000-04:00
Here comes the sun...da da da daaaaa...

Giddy up...the sun is OUT!!!

And what better way to spend it but taking the pool cover off. Sank yoo darren for helping us take the cover off. So the water might be darker than iced tea...but, you'll be thanking us when it's blazin' out and you want to cool off. So the pool is on it's way to being swimable...The weather is turning for the better... and the BEACH is on tap for tomorrow...I don't know how much longer I can live out this summertime, no work fantasy...the account is getting smaller and soon there will be no fun had because you know who will be counting his nickels and dimes... Hey Kristen...go onto MSN.COM. They do a TOP TEN WEDDING SONGS list... Seeing as we're still kinda in the wedding time of the summer... So I was trying to crash early tonight... and look at the freakin' clock: 12:02 AM. Dammit. I have to get rid of this habit. Time to set an alarm and get my lazy bones up for a workout before I head out to the SUN and SURF.

Southbridge...ready or not, here I come...

2003-06-23T00:41:00.000-04:00
I could stay lost in this moment...forever...

So it's been quite the weekend. And believe it or not... most of it all fell on Saturday. For starters, Congratulations to the Newlyweds!! Brian and Tracy!! Dave and Libby!! Truly amazing...To take part in such an important moment in their lives is so very special. My family wedding was great. Seeing my sister Care (I can't believe I felt the little guy hic up!), my brother, Mike (all decked out in his colors, Airmen 1st Class), Christine without Brett, the dogs, and the lamas) and my extended family. Joe is BACK from Spain...Jon, or "Jom" flew from the AZ desert...Aunts...Uncles...Cousins...and memories a-plenty. What a service. And just when you think that the magic is over... in cometh Dave & Libby. Wow. Definitely my closest friends to be married first. I think Kristen said it best over lunch today. The whole night was simply: Surreal. With all of the dancing and singing and celebrating...we had the time of our lives. And to think that Dave and Libby are just starting theirs together. I enjoyed what Mr. Syzdek (Dave's father) said at one point in the evening. He took the microphone and gave Dave and Libby some advice:
Make Beautiful Music.
Amen to that...

Another chapter comes to a close...and another one opens. Best of luck to both couples in their new lives...

and I don´t wanna miss a thing...

2003-06-21T01:40:00.000-04:00
Nothing big tonight...Except for maybe the HULK...

Sorry folks, the shortest of entries tonight. Saw THE HULK tonight with Matt and the John Gauthier fan club...Worth seeing for the effects...not the plot. I enjoyed it. Anyway, I have to CLEAN the upstairs tomorrow morning so my two sisters and one brother-in-law have a place to sleep tomorrow night and I have TWO weddings to attend...one is for my cousin...the other for
Dave & Libby...No entry tomorrow either...(I'm just full of disappointment tonight, sorry.)

So from all of us to all of you...Sweet Dreams.

I am in love with Jennifer Connelly...

2003-06-20T01:52:00.000-04:00
Don't know how much you'll get out of me... I'm beat.

So today I tackled the working world, kinda. I had a great time watching and listening to the kids reactions as Sami the Robot entertained the various middle schools at High Meadow today in Granby, CT. The kids were surprisingly tame. I expected to regulate more...maybe they were talking back, or trying to touch the robot... but for the most part, it was a piece of cake!

Came home about 3:30...Dinner with Papa Leone. And then I was OUT! Better beat tired and dinner on top of that equals one tired italian.Believe it or not, I did end up finding some energy for Judo...Definitely happy that I made it down there. It's tough getting motivated... but once everything is said and done, there's nothing like the feeling you get after a solid workout...I could have done without the drama down at the dojo...but I'm not going to dwell on that topic any longer...

Glad you like the picture Matt...That one was taken of you the night the Women won the championship in Gampel - A-REE-HA! If you get around to it, scan in some more Pep Band, UConn pictures... I love adding new pictures to this page...Gotta keep the readers happy!!!

Oh, one last thing before I go... I know it's been the topic lately, but THE FREAKIN WEATHER is at it again. Take today for example...not the greatest of days... but NO RAIN. I'm not complaining...AND rather than have out next sunshine on Thursday... Monday and Tuesday look AMAZING!!! 85 Degrees?? 90 degrees??? Kelly, if you reading this...I hope those temperature read outs are self-explanitory. B-E-A-C-H. Who knows... all that will probably change by tomorrow. Welcome to Connecticut Weather. Yeah, Great.

I've hit bottom yet again...bed time...pronto.

I don't get many things right the first time...

2003-06-18T23:40:00.000-04:00
The sun has gone to bed and so must I...

Let's be honest...there's blogging to do.

So I'm trying something a little different tonight. I'm really digging the colors and different fonts and stuff, so I'm writing this entry in another program (ooooooo ahhhhh).
Hopefully it'll be up to par...(Tell me what you think JoJo!!! I'm glad you like the layout!)

QUALITY WIN TONIGHT...Better luck next time Rocket. The man is on a TEAR! 4000 Strikeouts...300 wins...and practically a no-hitter?!? And at 40 years old...you are the man, Rog.

So I actually have somewhere to be tomorrow. Working with Sami D-2, robot extrodinaire @ a local camp ground. I'm looking forward to it. It's the first income, I've seen all summer. And with a pending cell phone bill...I need it. Trumpet lessons are another option for a job this summer...decisions decisions...

But one decision that is NOT hard to make... is my bed right now. And I'll leave you with a little humor about my buddy Matt...

Now THAT'S Husky Pride...merr...

2003-06-18T14:51:00.000-04:00
You've got to be kidding me...

This one is short and sweet... maybe I'll write more later. Looks like the comment system is back...

So according to this, the NEXT time I'm going to see sunlight is...THURSDAY, JUNE 26TH?!? And notice even then, there is a 20% chance of Precipitation.

Congrats to the Bombers and Boomer yesterday. Very solid 10-2 victory. Thanx to Kate for some great tickets...now we might check out another game and there's also talk of seeing David Gray! For now, time to get some stuff done...

Rain, rain...go away...

2003-06-17T11:00:00.000-04:00
Just to make everyone happy...

I know people are JONESIN' to see what I'll write in my blog today... Well, since I have no clue when I'll get back tonight, I figured that I best get my entry in first thing in the morning.

So my little Kate and I are off to Yankee Stadium. Taking on Sweet Lou and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays... And it looks like Boomer will be on the hill. The makings of a GREAT game!

Gotta get going though... take care everyone... enjoy the great weather!!!

Sorry about the commenting system...I don't know why it just stopped working...I'll look into it when I get back :(

Take Me Out To The Ballgame...