"Musical Comedy, the most glorious words in the English language"

This past weekend I ventured up to Syracuse to see my siblings. My sister is a freshman at the Newhouse School of Communications and my brother is a junior in the school of Visual and Performing Arts. The occasion for my visit: my brother had a double show weekend and I went to see him.

Cast as Sylvius in the mainstage show As You Like It, my brother was stoked for his first lead up there. Not that the show wasn’t fantastic—it was—and not that he wasn’t fantastic in it—he was—but the true treat of the weekend was his more intimate cabaret, Myths and Hymns. 

He and his four classmates worked all semester to write a one-hour cabaret, outlining life in the Drama Department at SU for a prospective student. Packed with the best songs from Broadway (most with rewritten lyrics) and original choreography, the show poked fun at Syracuse, the program with ridiculously high expectations, and the strange characters that comprise the drama department faculty. 

Now, I didn’t go to Syracuse and there were some jokes that went over my head. However, as a musical comedy fan this show was the genre at its finest. I laughed, I resisted the urge to hum along, I grooved in my seat, I beamed in pride, and I cried. 

While the show was one big spoof, there was a moment when each of the five students got serious. In a very Chorus Line fashion, each performer approached the edge of the stage with a photo of themself at a young age. I listened to each of them explain why they chose musical theater as their path and then they flipped over the photo to show their professional headshot they hope will be their ticket to do this for the rest of their lives.

Jonathan Larson’s song “Why” from Tick, Tick... Boom! strung together these true-to-life monologues.(Video below)

Hey what a way to spend the day

Hey what a way to spend the day

I make a vow

Right here and now

I’m gonna spend my time this way

I’m gonna spend my time this way

As my brother told his story about dancing in his high school show to Gloria Estefan’s “Get On Your Feet,” his eyes sparkled. He spoke about how—at the time— he asked the audience to stand up and dance in the aisles and how his family was the first to pop up. In that moment he knew that this was more than a love. Dancing is his soul mate. And as I cried at the beauty in his confession, I listened to him and his friends sing, “I’m gonna spend my time this way.”

It’s crazy to me that these 20- and 21-year-olds can be so sure of how they want to spend their futures. Performers. That’s what they want to be when they grow up. It’s even crazier to me that some of them have known it deep down for so long. I still feel like I’m floundering to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and I’m already in the working world.

But when you think about it the way they do...the way the song does, it sounds so easy to decide. “Hey what a way to spend the day. Hey what a way to spend the day. ... I’m gonna spend my time this way. I’m gonna spend my time this way.”

And then it seems simple. How do you want to spend the day? How do you want to spend your time? 

When I see those kids...their passion, their absolute yearning to succeed at this, I know that they feel so blessed that they get to spend the day singing and dancing and acting and learning. As much as they “hate it,” they know that SU Drama is a gift. They love the way they spend their days. I think this may be the key to happiness and fulfillment, at least when it comes to career.

I want to feel that way about what I choose to do when I grow up. I want to be so in love with what I do that my eyes dance with fire. I want to deliberately choose the way to spend my days. 

A piece of what I love is writing. So I thank you for reading, and giving me a way to spend (at least) my Sunday.

While I figure out the rest, I shall continue to enjoy musical comedy. In fact, last night I went to yet another farce: Columbia’s 118th Varsity Show. As promised, below are some ways you can go see some New York theater (musical comedy or not) without paying full price. I hope you see something as inspirational as I did.

Rush, lottery and standing room

If you live here in New York, or if you just have the luxury of spontaneity, try day-of rush or lottery for Broadway and off-Broadway shows. Depending on the show, most box offices offer deep discounts hours before the curtain. If a show has a ticket lottery, you can arrive at the theater (usually) 2.5 hours in advance and enter your name in the drawing. Each show has a fixed number of tickets they lottery off each day. Typically the seats are front row or side boxes. Often times they can be partial view—but can you really complain when you’re paying $20-30? The names of winners are pulled approximately 2 hours before curtain. Make sure you bring a photo ID and cash—while some lotteries now accept credit cards, most do not. Do not be that person to win tickets and have no dollars to pay with. Fun fact: Rent was the first Broadway show to hold a ticket lottery.

Student rush evolved as a way for high school and college students—aka kids without income—to see high quality theater for low prices. These seats can also be front row and box seats. Most student rush happens when the box office opens for the day (often at 10AM). Depending on the popularity of the show, people can line up starting at 7AM or at 9:30AM. Best to visit the box office and ask the attendants at the window what time the line typically begins to form. Don’t forget your student ID and cash.

Fear not poor non-students! With the economy the way that it is, students aren’t the only ones short on cash. General rush functions on the same policy as student rush (minus the student ID part). Same seating section, same price. You may have to show up early, but when you end up paying around $60-70 for two tickets instead of $136.50 for a single ticket it will totally be worth it. Brava!

If none of these work for you, there is the chance that you can get last-minute standing room seats when the show is sold out. For shows like Book of Mormon, the standing room line can be long. But for most other shows, standing room is cheap and available. Check at the box office just before the curtain rises. It may be your lucky night.

For a list of shows and the details of their individual policies, you can visit playbill.com or any of the show’s individual websites for their ticketing policies.

Discounts for young people

For those of you young sprightly theatergoers, you can subscribe as a member to discount ticket services. Roundabout Theatre Company (responsible for such shows as the Tony-winning revival Anything Goes) offers HIPtix, $20 to any Roundabout show for ticket buyers age 18-35. All you have to do is go to the website and sign up for HIPtix. The membership is free and you can get up to two tickets per show—your guest will have to show proof of age at the box office. Plus, HIPtix throws great parties after the show. Buy your tickets online, by phone or in person.

To compete with HIPtix, Lincoln Center Theater (host of Tony-sweeping War Horse) offers LincTix for ticket buyers ages 30 and under. Sign up for a LincTix membership by visiting their website. Then, whenever you want to see a show all you have to do is sign in with your member ID number, pick your show, pick your date, and get one seat for only $30. There are a limited number of LincTix seats per show, but this is better than rush and lottery because you can purchase these seats in advance! What if you want to go with a friend? If they are a LincTix member, you can use their name and ID number to request seats together. What if you want to go to a show with someone over 30 you say? Just visit the box office. You can buy one seat with your ID number and one full price seat side-by-side.

Finally, there is Manhattan Theater Club’s 30 under 30 deal. It works just like it sounds, offering $30 tickets for buyers 30 years and under. You can buy up to two $30 tickets for any MTC show subject to availability. At MTC your guest can be any age, but YOU must be under 30. Sometimes there are parties, giveaways or extra perks to non-MTC shows. Isn’t it great to be young?

TKTS

Back to day-of sales, the TKTS booth at 47^th Street and Broadway can be great for discounted seats that may be more desirable than front row. The booth located under the red stairs in Duffy Square opens at 10AM for matinee performances (11AM on Sundays) and 3PM for evening performances (2PM on Tuesdays). Tickets are on sale at 20-50% off. Check the board to see what shows are selling that day. Some shows like Phantom of the Opera are on sale at TKTS all the time. Other shows like Book of Mormon, Wicked or Jersey Boys rarely light up that digital show list.

Less people know about the other TKTS locations at the South Street Seaport and Downtown Brooklyn. Both of these locations sell day-of tickets for evening performances and next-day tickets to matinee performances. Check the link for their hours.

Cash and credit cards accepted.

2-for1 Off Broadway Week

Usually once in the early fall and once in the winter, NYC & Company sponsors 2-for-1 Broadway and off-Broadway week, in which you can buy one ticket and get one ticket free. Check nycgo.com for dates and details.

Broadwaybox.com

Finally, if you’re just desperate to see a show without waiting in lines or waiting until the last minute, broadwaybox.com is a great website for legitimate discounts on theater tickets. No age requirements. Purchase in advance. The prices are not as low as the other methods above, but at least you will save a little. 

New York on a Dime

Here in New York City, life is expensive. In fact, just about two weeks ago reports confirmed that rents in New York have never been higher. As described by Citi Habitats (and reported by NY mag) “the average rent for a place in Manhattan now stands at $3,418—more than it was back in 2007, at the height of the real estate bubble.”

We pay through the nose to live here. But, there is a reason we all choose to withstand the obnoxious cost of living. Personally, I put up with because there is no better place to live at this point in my life. Why? Because where else is there something to do every single hour of the day? New York is a hub of culture collisions and entertainment, fine dining and museums, random moments and planned nighttime revelry.

Sometimes it can be hard to afford all New York has to offer.

Well this week, Iʼm letting you in on some of my secrets to FREE (and dirt cheap) enjoyment of the Big Apple. Because you donʼt have to be rolling in dough to have a good time.

Iʼm not talking about buying from Groupon, or Living Social, or Bloomspot or Lifebooker or blah blah blah.

When I worked at Time Out New York, one of my duties was to write the “Get This” promotional page in the magazines (Time Out New York and Time Out Kids). Every week it was my job to write up the little paragraph to entice readers to enter for free prizes—anything from free Broadway show tickets to a free hotel stay at the Thompson LES (did I mention these prizes are free?).

Not only did I write the page, but I collected the entry data and called happy winners each week. ONCE A WEEK I gave away free prizes to readers. And based on the data I collected, the entrants’ chances were really good. For those of you outside of paradise, you don’t have to live in New York to win. I donʼt write the contest anymore, but now I spend each week entering in hopes of winning one of their awesome prize packages. You should, too.

The catch? As far as I know, there isnʼt one. While entrants did provide their email addresses, at the time I worked there we did not send mass emails to that list. Times may have changed, but to my knowledge there is no down side here.

Aside from Get This, Time Out also sponsor Free Stuff and Free Flix. They are giving things away, people. Move tickets to advance movie screenings. Show tickets to plays in previews. Why not sit in the audience for free?

In fact, most magazines have promotional giveaway programs. They want their readers to engage with their publication, even if that just means entering a contest every once in a while. Elle magazine has a page of their site dedicated to Sweepstakes. Who knows? You might be the lucky winner of all of those designer shoes for the small price of providing your email address.

But seriously, if you don’t want their news flooding your inbox, just give them your SPAM email (you know the one you created for this exact purpose) or just unsubscribe from their newsletter the first chance you get. Or maybe, you will be surprised and realize that you like getting their newsletter because (like the contest you entered) the content is of interest to you.

Aside from looking in the magazines you subscribe to, it may be worth searching out websites that serve specific communities. I happen to belong to an organization called the Urban Girl Squad. This organization is amazing and if you are a young woman living in New York City, you need to check them out NOW. UGS runs a weekly contest on Facebook. Each Friday at 12pm, they post the contest on their page. All you have to do is comment. I won two free tickets to an advance screening of The Grey by commenting with my best story of “roughing it in the wild.” Another time, I won a free ticket to one of their fabulous events. Free yoga classes and customized designer fashion accessories are some of the other giveaways popping up on my newsfeed.

Check out the Facebook pages of your favorite organizations. Companies want you to do more than like their page; they want you to interact with the brand. That often means free perks!

Zagat.com caters to the foodie community, famous for their coverage of restaurants and bars. Zagat runs discounts for specific restaurants on a weekly basis. Get 30% off the bill at some of their favorite places. Aside from their bargains, I just entered to win ticket to their 30 under 30 party, a night of fancy cuisine featuring renowned and up-and-coming chefs and mixologists. Someone has to win. It could be me. I mean...you.

Aside from contests, there are ways to have cheap fun without having your name drawn out of a hat. On rainy days like today, museums can be a great way to stretch your legs when you’re stuck indoors. Many people donʼt realize, but the “price of admission” at American Museum of Natural History is actually a suggested donation. The $19 they want to charge you as an adult, totally optional. The Met is the same way. And The Whitney has a pay-what-you-wish policy on Friday nights from 6pm-9pm.

Now donʼt be a cheap jerk and pay nothing. After all, to keep these fortresses of art and history running the museums need income. But no one will blame you for paying $5-10 instead of the advertised price.

Perhaps you are on the hunt for more extravagant enjoyment in the city, like dining at that restaurant whoʼs chef was on Iron Chef America or spending a luxurious time at a spa. Thank goodness there are opportunities for these experiences on the (relative) cheap.

Restaurant week (really more like month) happens twice a year—usually in February and July. As advertised on NYCgo.com, restaurant week refers to the time when hot shot New York eateries put together pre-fixe menus for diners that are cheaper than going in for a meal on a regular day.

Dinner is usually $35 three-course prix-fixe and lunch is usually $25 three-course prix fixe. Think you can’t afford that dinner at Bobby Flayʼs Mesa Grill? I did. This past winter. It was fantastic. Totally affordable and just as classy as any other day of the year. Mark your calendars because these meals can spice up your usual days of diners and Thai takeout.

Once restaurants decided to appeal to a younger and less affluent demographic—so as to hook us once we do have money—spas thought they would jump on the bandwagon. Now we have spa week. Unfortunately, Iʼm a week overdue in alerting you since it was last week. BUT, mark your calendars for April 2013 folks because participating venues offer $50 treatments for a full week. This includes, facials, massages, seaweed wraps, mani/pedis, even cellulite treatments and botox (though I will stick to creams and oils over lasers and needles).

Even though you missed spa week, you can go to spaweek.com and check out discounts all year long.

Now when it comes to my one true love, the theater, there really arenʼt many ways to enjoy this for free unless you win one of the previously mentioned contests. Having worked in the business, I do have friends who occasionally have access to free tickets and I get to go as their date.

Aside from connections, free theater seats do not abound. Good news! Cheap ones do. There are TOO MANY ways to get cheap theater seats to describe here. You will just have to wait until next time!

While you’re waiting, what’s your secret to affordable/free fun in the city?

Only good things

This past week I started thinking about how important it is to me to maintain the active healthy lifestyle I’ve worked to make my regimen.

My thought was: I the ultimate goal is to lead a happy life, then our bodies—literally the casing that holds us in—should be kept happy. This is not some superficial “I want to look hot” philosophy. This is about feeling good because your body feels good. This is about caring for your outer armor, because you only get one.

And as a wise blonde woman once said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”

Let’s be honest. I know I feel way more energized when I drink a smoothie, as opposed to feeling sluggish after a cupcake. (Sometimes the cupcake is worth it because it’s just that tasty, but sometimes I find myself eating things because they’re put in front of me rather than making a conscious decision that the junk food is what I want.)

I’m not saying don’t treat your body. Every once in a while, go have that scoop of Ben & Jerry’s. I know that makes me happy. But when it comes to what I put in your body consistently, I am more conscientious. My experience tells me that overindulgence can take its toll.

I just finished yet another Jewish holiday where it felt like I just ate all day long and then sat around and ate more. My body was not thrilled. In fact, I felt like running around outside and playing a game of tag. My body yearned to move, so I went to yoga to finish off my weekend. I listened to my body and was happier for it.

Perhaps most importantly, I am aware of my body’s environment. I definitely believe in feeding off of the energy of the people around you. When I’m with happy people I usually feel happy.

Be aware of the people with whom you surround yourself. Negativity can be toxic. We all have bad days, but if you notice that someone you spend a lot of time with is constantly affecting your disposition in a not-so-sunny way, it is time to re-evaluate that relationship.

This idea of positivity is a full mind-body issue—very yogi. I remembered one of my favorite lines from the movie John Q, starring Denzel Washington. If you haven’t seen it, I won’t ruin it because you should go rent it NOW, but circumstances lead Denzel’s character to give life advice to his young son:

Stay away from the bad things, son. Please. Don’t get caught up in the bad things…so many great things out there for you.

I like to think Denzel was talking to all of us.

I think of this line often. Like when people ask me if I ever smoked and my response is always, “No. I never wanted to put that shit in my body.” There are so many great things out there if we only would reach for those instead of the bad things.

Surround yourself with positivity. Be kind to people and watch how people respond in kind. Be kind to yourself.

Personally, I like to listen to music. It just makes me think of goodness. A friend of mine sent me a video of his newly formed choir singing in their first public concert. As I walked in the park, breathing fresh air and gazing past the trees on the Hudson River, I listened to these young voices. And I felt my body relax and my mind enjoy. Music is good for the body and soul.

I just re-read the first two “books” of Eat Pray Love. In the first book, Eat, Elizabeth Gilbert talks about her time in Italy. While there, one of her Italian friends explains to her that he believes every city in the world has a word that encompasses the essence. When I think of the one-word essence of New York, I think FUTURE. We are all pushing forward and aiming high, and operating at a fast and hard pace. The city is tough on the body. The urban air, the hard cement, the elevated stress level and aura of competition. It’s what we love about New York, but also what can take a toll on the human body. So exercise. Eat well. Choose a healthy crowd of supportive people in your life. Read poetry or stick your headphones in. Lay out in the sunshine.

While I truly believe that beauty does come from within, the inside deserves to be kept in a healthy, cared-for outside.

Here’s to only good things now and to come.

Monday is the new Saturday

After a long weekend of seders—overeating and overindulging in family time in the name of Passover and the exodus from Egypt—you would have thought that I would have collapsed at the beginning of this work week.

Nope. Not me.

On Monday night, my week was just beginning because I decided to go out. Not to a movie, or something mellow. I went to the Passover Matzah Ball at Hudson Terrace, a full on club scene.

I must admit, I was a little worried about going out on a Monday night. The party didn’t start until 10pm, so basically the people throwing the party were pretending that Monday was Saturday. But it was a party specifically rendered kosher for Passover. How could I miss that? This party comes once a year. So what if I was a little tired?

Last week I sent out the following email to a bunch of my friends to recruit them for Monday night’s festivities:

Passover is approaching people.

And for this occasion, Pelc is throwing one of his epic parties. If you've never been to a Pelc party, they are super fun and you should come. If you have been to a Pelc party, you KNOW they are super fun and should also come.

He's throwing a party this Monday night at Hudson Terrace (see: awesome venues) with all Kosher for Passover booze and snacks.

Thinking you don't want to go out on a Monday? Think again. How long are you going to be young enough that you can handle partying on a Monday night and totally rally at work the next morning. Not long, folks. So live it up now. Invite your friends.

Who's coming with me?

Sometimes you just need to go out on a night that isn’t designated for going out. I don’t know about you, but so often I feel like Saturday night can be such a routine. It’s supposed to be the most fun night of the week. You already slept in that morning, so you're rested. You get to sleep in again the next day, so you will stay rested. But I often find myself going out for the sake of going out, which leads to a let down.

Now I’m not saying that I never have fun on a Saturday night. What I am saying is that when I consciously make the decision to go out on a nontraditional night like a Sunday or a Monday, I know I am going to have fun. If you drag your butt out on a night that you would normally stay in, you consciously decide to make it worth it.

What's more, I seriously believe that this is the time in our lives when our bodies won’t completely hate us for sleeping a few less hours before showing up to the office. I’m not saying that it’s a great idea to go out and get wasted when you have to be at work the next day. Hangover at work = zero fun. I’m saying that socializing and surrounding yourself with people who have a bit of a carefree attitude is healthy. Letting loose is healthy.

If every once in a while this happens on a night when it usually wouldn’t, all the better. Going out on a “school night” can even make the week go by faster. Why wait for the weekend to arrive when you can have fun in New York any night of the week?

In response to my email, some friends did join me and we had a total blast! The DJs were great; the warm spring night was perfect for an open rooftop dance party. But more importantly, this was just an extension of the Passover celebration. It was so cool to be able to go out during the eight days I usually confine myself to meals made in my own kitchen because of the strict rules about no leavening.

Kosher for Passover vodka, gin and tequila. The cranberry juice was of the Kedem variety (see: Manichewitz's competition). The tables were all covered in plastic so as to be kosher for Passover (since the surfaces underneath hadn’t been officially cleaned they could be covered).

Observing Passover did not end with the seders and family visits. The holiday continued with friends and a unique breed of fun.

Even though this particular Monday night was in celebration of a once-a-year holiday, your Monday night on the town can be anything. Go to open mic night at New World Stages. Go to Sunday night Salsa at the Thompson. Go out with a bunch of friends to a karaoke bar since you know it won't be crowded.

Stop making excuses to stay in. If a really awesome party, event, late-night concert or what-have-you comes up on a Monday night, don’t think about the long week ahead. Think about how much fun that night will be. Think about how unique the experience will be. Of course, everything in moderation, but when given the choice: try it.

You’re only young once.

New York Moment: That Random Street Corner

Saturday night. The Lower East Side. My friend Corey and I got to the neighborhood too late to actually get in anywhere worth going. So we started going to places not worth going. This night was the definition of a bust. We weren’t really enjoying ourselves. The lines into bars snaked around the blocks. I was ready to give up. Sometimes, you just have to admit to yourself that a Saturday night is not going to be the most amazing night ever.

But then I saw guys in wool hats scooping something out of a soup bucket and handing out food. We beelined across the street.

Turns out this was a station of Kraft Community. These random guys make a giant pot of Kraft mac n cheese and then ladle it into ice-cream cones (sans ice cream) to spread joy among New Yorkers. Free.

Free mac n cheese on a cone. Only in New York does hot mac n cheese on a night of cold, useless fun-searching = actual fun. Those guys should consider themselves successful. With every bite of mac n cheese and sugar cone, I felt joyful.

Sunday afternoon. My friend Adam and I went to a grilled cheese tasting event. Yup. Grilled cheese tasting. He bought the tickets through Time Out New York Offers. Now if you thought there was only one way to eat grilled cheese—you know, cheese between two slices of bread…grilled—you would be wrong.

This afternoon was one cheesy cheesy overload. We tasted seven varieties of grilled cheese, from sandwiches topped with fig jelly to bite-sized bites dipped in creamy tomato soup. It was a greasy day, so we decided to walk it off.

We rounded the corner and spotted a man strutting with a golf club over his shoulder. He seemed to just be pacing. Was it just a fashionable accessory? Was it a self-defense mechanism? Nope. It was a golf club. For golf. Sidewalk golf. This man had lined up a long row of milk cartons about 50 feet from a trash can. Once passersby were out of the way, he started swinging. Adam and I stood there rooting for him to make the shot and giggling. What made this man bring out his golf club for his own personal game? Probably because he had the time and simply because he could. Only in New York.

You never know what sorts of entertaining or free (and deliciously filling!) fun you might find on that random street corner. So when you have the time, wander a little. Choose to walk rather than take the subway or a cab. We are so programmed in this city to rush everywhere. Don’t rush to nowhere. You wouldn’t want to miss out on that New York moment.

The World Is Watching: The Hunger Games

I’ve given you an extra night to have gone to the theater and read that last page of the first book of Suzanne Collins series before reading this post. Note: If you have not read the The Hunger Games, seen the movie and want to stay in the dark about the contents of either, take about 48 hours and come back to this post later.

I’m not here to review the book or deliver my criticisms and praises of the movie which grossed over $100 million in its opening weekend—though I admit both would be fun to write. Rather, I want to discuss lessons learned from The Hunger Games.

In the country of Panem, once a year each of the twelve districts sends two tributes (one of each gender) to the Capitol to fight to the death in The Hunger Games. When Katniss Everdeen’s sister is randomly chosen at the reaping in District 12, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) decides to leave her family and best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) behind as she volunteers to take her sister’s place. Katniss and her fellow tribute Peeta Millark (Josh Hutcherson) travel to the Capitol, train with their mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and eventually enter the Games arena where their ultimate survival battle is put on for show. The annual reality television spectacle where only one can win.

Amidst all the hype back her in reality, reporters and critics have been scraping the barrel for any new story, any new angle about the series that has everyone integrating fancy words like “apocalyptic” and “dystopia” into their everyday vocabularies.

It’s a commentary on the 99% versus the 1% (nice tie-in, but Collins wrote this book long before Occupy Wall Street). It’s a commentary on the sad realities of the viscous world of high school. Well, personally I think the novel is an important examination of entertainment.

In my junior year of high school, my English class read Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death. Postman debated our society and whether our demise would come as a result of Big Brother-type oppression from George Orwell’s 1984 or by our own consumerism and dependence on technology as in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Folks. We have our answer. Because in The Hunger Games we finally reach a point in the future where we kill our children and literally amuse ourselves to death.

The Hunger Games portrays a world in which we will do anything for the thrill of entertainment. After all, The Games are essentially the Olympics of Panem. They come around cyclically and only one can win. The slight difference between our current Olympic Games and these games is that this competition is fatal.

But we, in our current era, do a lot in the name of entertainment. Professional athletes are seriously injured all the time—football players, hockey players—at the expense of entertainment. Reality TV has taken over the airwaves. And I find it slightly concerning how quick we are, as viewers, to hope for the worst in other people’s lives.

The Bachelor’s Chris Harrison describes his latest bachelor’s pick as “the girl America loves to hate.” On Survivor last week, Colton Cumbie experienced a bit of 'karma' as he was evacuated from the island due to acute appendicitis; this after his racial slurs and general intolerable meanness towards everyone. (I'm pretty sure more than a few viewers were excited by his ousting.)

Even in regular programming (you know the fictional kind) the more disastrous people’s lives are, the better. We want drama. We want thrill. We want suspense. Essentially, as 26 million books and record-breaking box office sales will tell you, we want The Hunger Games. At this point, clearly we are only ok with the imaginary form. But I can’t help but feel Suzanne Collins calls for an awareness among readers and spectators.

Now I’m not totally condemning reality television. In fact, my relationship with Survivor has become an obsession. I want to point out that we do a lot for a spectacle, but we need to be cautious. Let’s not cross the line. The medium of television often creates a false distance. We even become numb to real-life tragedies as their frequency increases on the news. Be aware. Don’t let your mind go numb.

Aside from the reality TV warning, The Hunger Games is a story about relationships. Now apparently, I am the only person known to man (or at least to my knowledge) who is on team Gale. [For those of you who need catching up, Katniss’ best friend and hunting partner at home is Gale--who definitely loves her--but her fellow competitor, Peeta, confesses his love for her during his pre-Games interview. Love triangle established.]

Let me be clear. I really like Peeta. A lot. I think he’s a fantastic and loveable character. Adorably innocent and kind. I feel for the boy who’s had a crush on Katniss since the day he saw her. He harbored that love even while she didn’t even know he existed. BUT, let us not forget that Gale clearly has had feelings for a long time as well. Gale and Katniss have been hunting together, confiding in each other, depending on one another for years. Gale even says he wants to run away with her. His mistake: not telling her. Say what you want while you can.

We’re so afraid of rejection, judgment, change, an awkward moment. No one seems to be afraid of dishonesty or losing the chance to say what you feel. Maybe we should be less afraid and more concerned with being true to ourselves.

The Games also addresses another side of relationships, a side I am all too familiar with as a single gal in New York: playing the game. Don’t text him, make him text you. Don’t say “I like you,” hold on to the power. Play hard to get. Play it cool. Well, I think that Katniss proves that playing games with people’s emotions always leaves someone hurt.

In order to survive, Katniss needed to win the affections of wealthy spectators. These “sponsors” would send her gifts, packages necessary to her survival if they felt for her and wanted her to win. So, she had to play to their fantasy of her love with Peeta. Katniss had no choice but to play with Peeta’s heart in order to live. I cannot say the same for the folks of New York.

Aside from these lessons, the screen adaptation does provide an additional teaching compared to its print counterpart. With greater emphasis on President Snow of Panem (played by Donald Sutherland), the movie reveals a telling scene in which the evil dictator figure asserts, “The only thing stronger than fear is hope.”

While in Panem this hope is meant as a tool of repression, hope is important to remember as a source of strength in our lives. As strong as fear is, as paralyzing as it can be, hope prevails every time.

While the debates about the movie continue—how true it is to the book, if it’s the new but better Twilight—there are two things that came of the cinema version that are without doubt:

1) 1) Stanley Tucci is a supremely gifted actor. He’s an absolute star.

2) 2) Everyone should consider wearing clothes as vibrant as colorful as in the Capitol. Think of how happy and carefree we would feel!

And with that:

I urge you to read the book and go see the movie that has clearly become a marker of our generation. Think about the lessons that I hope will linger for just as many years.

An Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving has come early. Not the Turkey and the cranberry sauce—after all, with spring sprouting tomorrow they’re not in season—but the thanks.

It’s too easy to complain. In life. In general. In fact, it’s lazy. When you think about your world, for some reason it seems like less work to think of all that you don’t have and/or all that is wrong. This may partially be backwash from living in New York, the capitol of aiming towards a goal and future-thinking. We’re so focused on where we’re going, it’s simple to dwell on what we lack in comparison.

But today (and every day) I challenge you to challenge yourself. Drama makes for fun television and often times interesting conversation or great books, which is probably why we gravitate towards it. When it comes to your thoughts and perspective on life, practice an attitude of gratitude. (Note: I cannot take credit for this phrase as it was suggested to me by a friend.)

Try making a list once a week (or every day for you over-achieving New York crazies) of five things you are thankful for. Write it down. See those five things. Appreciate them. Smile because they are true. In a city that is so fast-paced and constantly achieving, take a few minutes to acknowledge the present moment.

This past weekend, I spent a little time in the Motherland: good ole West Hartford, CT. I arrived home for Shabbat dinner on Friday. Can I just say that I love Shabbat dinner at home? The five of us sat around the dining room table, talking and laughing. (Thankful item number 1). But quickly, my sister began complaining. I don’t even remember about what. It happens that fast. One second you’re giggling, the next you’re nagging. Don’t give in.

Saturday night I went to Pops n Jazz, the annual jazz show at my high school where I performed as a Jazz Dancer from 9-12 grades. The show has been in my family for years, as my brother followed and my sister closed out the Fierberg clan dynasty. As I took my seat, one parent behind me was blabbing on and on, “You know, it’s easy for these kids to think that they are good and can make it doing this when they’re in this school. But when you’re paying for college education, music school is not exactly what you want to spend your money on. You need to plan for a career.”

My blood was boiling. First of all, our school’s program is stellar. Award-winning. If you are good in the realm of Hall High, chances are you’re actually really talented. Secondly, there are plenty of kids who graduate and pursue a music major rather than a conservatory program so that there is a “fall-back plan.” Third of all (particularly in this economy) music is a completely legitimate profession.

But I digress. Rather than get into it with this stranger, I realized how fortunate I am to have parents who support me.(Thankful item 2). I’m not pursuing a career in music, but sometimes it seems that the chances of making it in music are greater than in writing. Point is, success is difficult. Support is key. And I am lucky to have encouragement from my parents.

Yet, when we got home from the show my sister started complaining. I love her dearly, but she was in a negative place. (I don't want to sound like I'm throwing her under the bus. She's not a negative person, she just had a moment.) So my mother chimes in with, “If you’re life is so hard, I’ll go live your life and you can stay here and live mine.” To which I exhasperatedly huffed, “Your life is not hard either!”

Now of course, life is difficult. Life is stressful. I’m not trying to deny anyone the need to vent. I’m not trying to say be happy all the time. All I’m saying is, in those trying moments allow yourself to be upset but then recover by expressing thanks for the big picture.

Yeah, it sucks that you didn’t get into the job you wanted. But be thankful that you are smart enough and possess a skill set that you will get the job you want and is a better fit soon. Sure it’s not ideal that you have to work late tonight and cancel your dinner plans. But chances are, big picture your life is good.

Focus on that. Trust me. In this city of crazy and constant climbing to the top, you’ll feel better to linger on your current rung and appreciate the view. I’m going to contemplate items 3-5; there's a lot to choose from.