My "Son" is Going to Be a Star

About 9 years ago I saw a young man who was very talented. He had just graduated from Freeman High School, and I had seen him perform in 2 different musicals, and I was very impressed. In the summer of 2007 I was cast in "Bye, Bye Birdie" with him, and we spent the summer rehearsing and performing. A year after that we did a show called "Breakfast With Les and Bess," and I had the opportunity to really get to know him. Doing theatre for the past 41 years I have had many occasions to meet and share the stage with young people. In fact several young people I have worked with call me Mama Terri. I feel like they are all my children. This young man is no different. I feel as if he is my adopted son. Shortly after our last show he set out for California to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) I followed his progress through facebook as he landed modeling jobs, and Youtube series, and films. He has been tenacious, and he has been working very hard to make his dream come true. I am over the moon excited for him as the announcement was made today that he will be playing a starring role on General Hospital. He may not remember this, but I do. We were sitting in my living room one night talking, and he was sharing his apprehension about moving to California and getting into the "business" I told him that he needed to stay true to himself, and be the man he is. Choices are his to make. We all have the choice no matter the circumstance to pick right from wrong. He obviously has made the right choices to lead him to this point, and I am so proud! Stay true to you, Rob, and we'll be watching!

2007 Bye, Bye Birdie Cast Party

It's Not My Birthday, But I Got the Gift

Today is my mother's 76th birthday. This will be the best birthday to celebrate for me in a long time because for many years my mother has not felt well enough to do anything and certainly not celebrate. My mother has had lots of health issues through my 51 years, but in  recent years, mostly since my father passed in 2007, my mother's health has worsened. Some of her health problems are painful, and so doctors have prescribed very strong pain medication to "help" Percocet, Oxycodone and Morphine, to name a few. Over time those pills stopped helping and became the problem. I cannot remember the last time that my mother felt good. Most days in the past years, if I called her, she would answer sounding like death was near. There were several times that I or my girls were with her where she could barely keep her eyes open, and she would fall bruising herself terribly and not remember any of it. All of these circumstances piled on each other until she was visiting the hospital ER what seemed like every other week. Now, I am not saying that my mother was not in pain or that she was not sick, she was, but I knew that a good portion of that sickness, the shortness of breath, the stomach pain, was being caused or at the very least being made worse by the pain meds. What were we going to do? It is very hard to help someone dependent on prescription medication because the body needs it. Our family was at the end of our rope, and being one who is always honest and never one to hide my feelings, I stopped spending time with my mother. I hardly saw her. But something happened a little more than a month ago that has changed my life, her life, all of our lives. She took another trip to the ER, but she was admitted for bleeding ulcers. My sister and I discussed with the doctor if she would be able to go to physical rehab after discharge from the hospital. At 75, certainly not old in this day and age, she could barely walk, and she was always falling. The doctor agreed, and she went from the hospital to Beth Shalom to begin her rehab. The bonus was her meds were also being regulated and pain meds, other than Ibuprofen, were non-existent. It was hard at first. She didn't want to stay, but she stuck it out. She was there for almost a month, and the week after Mother's Day we took her back to her apartment. I cannot believe the difference in her. She looks healthy, she is upbeat and positive, and she can walk normally. My youngest has committed to seeing her every morning to help with her meds. I am trying to see her as much as I can, not because I feel I have to, but because I want to!
Today is my mother's birthday, but I have been given the gift. I have my mother back, and I cannot express how happy that makes me! Happy Birthday, Mommy! I feel like your little girl again, and it's a good feeling!

Ode to Chipotle

It's spicy! It's addictive! It's fresh, and today it was FREE! I discovered Chipotle about 3 years ago. A friend asked if I'd like to go there after we had seen a show together. I have to admit I was afraid of the spicy factor. I like a little spice, but I'm definitely a mild salsa kind of gal. I ordered the steak tacos. Yummy! A little spicy, but really tasty. I didn't go back very often, because, let's face it, I'm getting older, and my body doesn't love spicy but every so often. Now, let me say right now that I am not a bean lover, legumes to be specific. I don't eat limas or navy beans or baked beans or black-eyed peas or black beans or pinto beans, and refried beans? FORGET IT! So imagine my horror when I was at a rehearsal for a show and dinner was being provided from Chipotle, and it was Burritos! All I could think was BEANS!!!!, but I was hungry so I graciously took one and ate it. First of all if you've never had a Chipotle burrito, they could feed a small village. It's huge and stuffed to the max with rice, beans, meat, lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo, and sour cream. To my astonishment, I really liked it, and don't tell my daughter, but I couldn't even taste the beans. The other thing is that anyone who knows me knows that I don't eat food together. I eat one thing at a time, and usually in separate bowls, so mixing all of those things together and wrapping them in a tortilla was a real stretch for my palate. Don't think that I did a complete 360 the next time I went to Chipotle, I still didn't choose the beans, but they have this thing called a burrito bowl. It's pretty much everything that's in a burrito without the tortilla, burrito innards, so to speak. I ordered the burrito bowl with white rice, NO BEANS :), steak, mild salsa (which is really the freshest, most delicious pico de gallo you will ever taste) sour cream and cheese. My taste buds were doing the happy dance! Chipotle became my go to "fast food" place, although you can't really call it fast food, eventhough they are very quick in serving you, and you do go through a line, but it is FRESH, like cooking all the meat on a huge grill right behind the serving line FRESH. If you haven't guessed by now, I love Chipotle, so I was thrilled when my oldest gave me a gift card for Mother's Day. Pay day isn't until Friday, so I am a little low on funds at the moment, so today I was going to use my gift card to get lunch. I left to go to the brand new Chipotle that is the closest to my work. When I pulled into the parking lot I noticed that there was a man standing at the front door speaking to people as they came in and opening the door for them. I thought, WOW! talk about customer service! but then I noticed a sign on the door that said that the store would not be open until tomorrow. I was disappointed, but I thought I'd get out and ask anyway. I mean, other people were going in. As I got out of the car I said, "You're not opening until tomorrow?" He said, "You can come in." So in I went and got on line. I was greeted by a wonderful smile and very upbeat server asking me what I would like. Each server on the line was just as friendly and courteous. As I got to the cashier and she rang up my order, steak burrito bowl, chips, side of mild salsa and a large drink, she said $12.30. I started to hand her my gift card, and then she threw up her hands and said, "It's mock day! Everything is FREE!" I was thrilled, and so was everyone in the restaurant. As I filled up my drink cup at the fountain, two other ladies and I discussed how the experience made us feel. The one lady told me as she was leaving to have a great day. I was smiling from ear to ear as I got in my car. Today, Chipotle not only nourished my body, but my soul as well! Something I sorely needed today! Bravo Chipotle! Keep up the good work!