Yes, theatre is my life. But in order to keep theatre fresh, life must be lived! And when I’m not in rehearsal, I charge up my creative juices via one of these channels. Fair warning, this page is about my personal interests, so I’m apt to go on about them. Be prepared!
MY PETS: Life is just better with pets in it! I have 3 cats and 1 dog. Our dog, JR, was a conscious choice. We picked him -or rather he picked us- up at the Animal Care and Control in Manhattan. Ask me what kind of dog he is and I’ll tell you he’s “American” – part hound, part lab, part… who knows. He’s 11 years old now (2016), and has us wrapped around his finger. His only concern is sharing us with the cats! The cats -Cy, Notch & Feste- are rescues, too. I found them, and their sister Sox who was adopted, on the street after Hurricane Sandy. I took them in and the wonderful folks at Infinite Hope helped me get them healthy. The plan was to get them adopted out. Yeah… that didn’t work. They are now a permanent part of the household. You can read more about them by following posts categorized as “my pets.”
ANIMAL RESCUE: There are many fine animals out there longing to live in a loving home. The cards are stacked against them, though. Dog fighters, backyard breeders and puppy mills keep pouring more dogs and cats into the system, and shelters, rescue groups and caring individuals run around desperately trying to find homes for them all. You can help by adopting a dog or cat from your local shelter or rescue group instead of a store (Don’t Shop, Adopt!). Can’t take on a pet full time? Rescue groups are desperately seeking foster families – someone to give an animal a temporary loving home while they transition into a “fur-ever home.” (I highly recommend Amsterdog!) Or donate to a local rescue group – find a small group in your area where your dollars can make the most difference. Or drop off blankets, toys, leashes, kennels – it all adds up! And if all else fails – SHARE the pictures of animals in need on your social media. You might think it’s not much, but animal lives are saved every night by people who clicked on the ‘share’ button. If you are in the NYC and surrounding areas and want more info, check out Urgent Death Row Pets.
MY GARDEN: Ahhhh, after a long day of rehearsal or crouched over the computer, nothing is more relaxing than playing in the dirt! I have a container garden on my balcony, and two garden plots in a local community garden. I’m not all that good at it yet, but I learn more every season, and at the height of the season I can have a salad directly from my garden! You can read more about it by following posts categorized as “garden.”
NUTRITION: A couple of years ago I was introduced to a documentary called “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.” It is about a man who turned his health and his life around by juicing vegetables. I gave it a try myself – lost 30 pounds, reduced my vital numbers by half and generally felt better than I had in a long time. That started me down the road to understanding the value of nutrition in regards to health, and how to play ‘doctor’ at the grocery store instead of the pharmacy. This is an ongoing quest, and you can read more about it by following posts categorized as “health.”
