MY BELOVED FAMILY!!!

After my hip replacement surgery, it was very hard to look at the future optimistically with inflation (Like the huge hike up in our electric bill), the economy in the ruts and people losing their jobs around us.
To top things off, my parents couldn't sell their house in Reston and they were force to walk away from it after over a year of the house not being sold and Beng had to have emergency surgery just recently. It's was all about "We owe, we owe, we owe.....But after all what has happened, my beloved family does look at life so optimistically. Aria has truly been a great daughter helping us tremendously around with the house chores, thinking of ways to stretch the dollar and reminds all of us that a "penny save is a penny earned". Heck! Last year, she saved over $350 with just our loose change.

Beng reminded me of when we first got married and living on a meeger E-4 military salary, we made alot out of nothing. I guess her living in the Philippines so long made her tuff. Gotta love a family that's there to support you and be there for you..

MILEY CYRUS: Racist or All in Fun?

This photo shows Miley Cyrus and a group of friends pulling back the corners of their eyes to mock the slanted eyes of people of Asian descent.
The OCA, an Asian-American advocacy group, issued a statement saying, “The photograph of Miley Cyrus and other individuals slanting their eyes currently circulating the Internet is offensive to the Asian Pacific American community and sets a terrible example for her many young fans. This image falls within a long and unfortunate history of people mocking and denigrating individuals of Asian descent.”

This is what I think as a fellow Asian-American...."Who Cares?" Come on! There is an Asian-American in this photo! And if you read into this, the Asian-American can be accused of "widening his eyes". "Is anyone attacking him for being a racist against Caucasians?"

COMPOSER: RICHARD THOMAS

While working in "Jerry Springer: The Opera" at Studio Theatre, we got to meet and talk with the composer, Richard Thomas many times. He loved our version of the show and it was so much fun seeing him on the edge of his seat laughing. He saw the show 3 times with the original, "Baby Jane". After his second time seeing the show. He came up to me and asked, "So, what's next with you?" I said, "Hip replacement surgery, but I am looking forward to it" and I returned, "So, what's next with you?"
He enthusiatically told me with a smile, "I am writing an opera about Anna Nicole Smith. There's so much that has happened in her life. So much drama! I am on my way to LA to work on it with Kevin Murphy, the guy who wrote "Reefer Madness"
Then just 2 days ago, I heard on the radio about the Anna Nicole Smith Opera scheduled to open at the Royal Opera House in London in 2011.
I was just thinking and hoping the time he came up to me asking, "So, what's next with you?" would be a prelude to a chance to do that show. Hmmmmmm.....

TRAVIS the CHIMPANZEE

When you hear about it, your first initial reaction is to laugh and treat it like a story from "Star or World Magazine", but when you hear the 911 calls, it's truly frightening.

Travis the chimpanzee, a veteran of TV commercials, was the constant companion of a lonely Connecticut widow, Sandra Herold. On Monday, tSandra Herold who described her beloved pet as "just everything, the only thing I have left" tried in vain to stab and bludgeon the 200-pound chimpanzee as it viciously mauled her longtime friend.
Police shot and killed Travis when he charged them and cornered an officer inside his cruiser during the rampage, which left 55-year-old Charla Nash with critical injuries.Sandra Herold, who had owned the 14-year-old chimp since it was less than two weeks old, said she tried with all of her strength to stop the attack by stabbing Travis with a butcher knife and beating him with a shovel.
Investigators are trying to figure out what caused his rampage Monday -- whether it was a bout of Lyme disease, a reaction to drugs, or a case of instinct taking over.
Police said they are looking into the possibility of criminal charges against Sandra Herold. A pet owner can be held criminally responsible if he or she knew or should have known that an animal was a danger to others.
Should Herold be charged in the attack by her pet chimpanzee Travis?

SO HILARIOUS!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1064811989935&ref=nf

What I Admire Most...

When I was working on "Jerry Springer: The Opera" last Summer, I admitted to Bobby Smith that I was a secret admirer of his work as a performer since his days at Toby's. I never went up to him and said it until working with him.

Here are 10 more theatre people I admire that I have worked with and never admitted it:

1) Tracie Thoms---We all knew her as "Tracie Nicole Thomas" and I knew her "drive" would make her a star.

2) Toby Orenstein---You can call me a "Toby Groupie" I was a fan of her work before she had her dinner theatres. I remember going to the Twin Bridges Marriott in Crystal City and watching her work with the "Young Columbians"

3) Matt Gardiner---I enjoy his careful thought for the reason and purpose to move in musical theatre

4) Mark Minnick---I hate to admit this, but I do like Mark for his ability to choreograph accordingly to the limits and strengths of any cast. Though...I don't always agree with his casting. Hehehe...

5) Ryan Duncan---What can I say more about Ryan? He's handsome, hilarious and so proud of him being in "Shrek--The musical"

6) Joey Wallen---Is there anything this man can't do?

7) Nick Olcott---I will admit....I really enjoyed him more as an actor than a director.

8) Caren Hearn---I've always been a "Caren Hearn Fan" and I consider her the luckiest woman in this area for not giving up on the Arts. I just hope she knows it.

9) Michael Leon Wooley---I went to PGCC wth Michael, watched him a Petrucchi's in "Big River" and next thing ya know it, I was watching him onstage performing "Ain't Misbehavin' w/ the Pointer Sisters.

10) Tina DeSimone---A few of us were very lucky to work with Phyllis Goldblat. And much like Phyllis...You haven't done dinner theatre unless you have worked with Tina! Luv me some Tina!

CORALINE

After Aria's "High School Musical" rehearsal at the Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre, Beng, Aria and I decided to stay in the Woodbridge area and see the movie, "CORALINE".

Though it was a good 3-D stop motion animation movie, but it was a bit creepy and scary like an old horror movie plot even for me. Much like watching across between "The Stepford Wives" and "IT" .

Away from being a father, this movie may be way too much for any child under 13 . In short, go see this movie for you...not for your children. The movie will definitely give them nightmares.