Happy Italian Heritage Month

He was born in Reggio, Calabria and came to America when he was a young man in his late teens.

When he arrived he was greeted by cousins and then was given a job in construction. Breaking concrete and only surrounding himself with those that knew his culture.

He then was introduced to my Mom, it was a brief relationship and at 16 years old she married him. My Mom raised all her siblings as her Mother passed young and kept house for her Father, who came here from Naples.

As soon as they were married my Dad was drafted in the army and was deployed back to Europe.

Once he returned, he continued in construction and then opened the first Taxi Company, Joe’s Taxi in Fort Lee, NJ.

Dad drove and Mom was home with us, taking the calls….

At a young age I knew we were different! Not the average American family for sure. All I know is that I was so intrigued with this culture, the language, the music and the food. Did I mention the food?

One by one, year after year my Dad sent for his family. They lived with us until they secured employment and then moved on. With each cousin came a new experience for me. I learned that they all had been promised when they were born. I never knew quite what that meant until my cousin Tina’s future husband arrived in America and she had never met him!

That was the only part of the culture I wanted no part of!  LOL

They all shared different stories of their homeland, the farms, the music and the food, ahhhh the food!!! It was like a visceral fairytale for me.

We received boxes from Italy filled with cheese, tuna, candy, oil and of course photos. I can still remember what that food tasted like, smelled like!

Then my Dad’s Mother finally came to visit. I was in awe!!

She was this small woman with braided hair around her entire head. Her clothes were in layers?

Each night I would sit with her and she would hold up a hairbrush and say,” Spazzola per capelli” – ah hairbrush and so it went. Any time she had something in her hand she would tell me in Italian and I locked it in.

Yes, we were different. We were passionate people. Loving people. People that talked of Italia like it were 5 miles away.

Proud people, people that valued tradition and family.

Not unlike many other family’s that have migrated to this country from other counties.

Hollywood made films about our Culture that at times may have only pointed out the stereotypical Gangster. However we cannot take this to heart, as indeed there was organized crime in all cultures. We need to know the difference between fact verses fiction.

Years ago in Italy being called a Guido was a badge of honor. It meant you cared abut your appearance and a style of living. Today, in America – that word describes a mother’s worse fear: OMG my daughter is marring a Guido! Some Mook with hard hair, all muscle bound a bad tan and thinks he can speak Italian.

Life has changes since my Dad came here but there are still houses in his village that have remained the same.

I created The Italian Chicks Comedy & Variety Show to further the culture. A show that makes us remember when life was simple. To hear things that you’re Nona used to say that you have not heard in years. A show that makes you remember things you paid your shrink to forget! J

I think my Pop would have loved the show!

I have always valued diversity.

When I hear people say, “ these people come here and take over the county”, does it anger me? You bet it does! Why? Because I am the child of an immigrant that came to here make a better life.

So Happy Italian Heritage Month!

Remember the food, the music, the tradition, the culture and the family!

And remember the struggle that our Mothers and Fathers encountered in a strange land looking to find their way.

Thanks for all the opportunities you gave us Dad and for telling us all those amazing stories about the farms, the goats, the fig trees and for making your way in this land with the worse broken English eva~

Hey, if Dad never came here I could have been living in Italy!!!!!

What!!!!!!!! Oh Man.. Dad !!!!!!!!

Rest is Peace Pop – we love & miss you..

Viva Italia

To Bomb or not to Bomb?

To Bomb or not to Bomb?

I implore you all if you comments please do not make this about politics!

The truly is about the injustice and destruction of people!

My question is why is it always the US?

Why cant this be a joint effort with all nations to stop killing innocent people or raping women or thinking that you have an Empire and you are fucking Caesar.

What’s it all about Alfie?

I’ll tell ya – its about Greed, Money, Control, and Religion.

The same old song since time began...

 10 things that could go very wrong if we attack Syria....

1) Our strikes could result in heavy civilian casualties.

2) Our strikes could result in Assad killing more civilians.

3) Our strikes could result in Assad killing more civilians with chemical weapons.

4) The attacks are so slight that Assad survives them easily and appears strengthened before the world.

5)  “You bombed it, you own it.” The “Pottery Barn Rule” —- “you break it, you buy it” — became famous during the Iraq war. “You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people,” Colin Powell told President Bush before the invasion of Iraq. “You will own all their hopes, aspirations and problems. You’ll own it all.” (As it happens, that’s not the Pottery Barn’s rule. They simply write off broken merchandise as a loss.)

6) Reprisal.

7) Assad falls and the chemical weapons end up in the wrong hands.

8) Assad falls and is replaced by chaos.

9) Assad falls and is replaced by something worse.

10)              Escalation.

One caution here is that much of what could go wrong if we intervene could go wrong if we don’t intervene, too. But that’s where the Pottery Barn rule comes in. Once we’re involved, it’s a lot harder to say that disastrous outcomes in Syria are simply an awful, regrettable thing happening elsewhere in the world rather than a war we are directly involved in, and that we have some responsibility in guiding toward a successful conclusion.

I do not agree that innocent people should be gassed to death.

However I do NOT agree that we, the USA should always be the country that stops the Lions from goin into the Coliseum.

START SPREADING THE NEWS

START SPREADING THE NEWS

Well NYC, NY is on the way to becoming a suburb with more concrete and less tree’s.

Ok the one thing that remains is that City still neva sleeps and not because it’s all the rage but because people are trying are staying up nights figuring how to buy the most expensive groceries in the world J  A hamburger is $12.00 bucks!

I remember when I was a kid I would get out of High School get my guitar and head over to Bleaker Street. I would play on the street with other musicians and learn new riffs and such. It was such a magical place filled with culture and this down beat of Greenwich Village. As for me, today not as much magic any more. Perhaps because the City was always my back door.

It seems Mayor Bloomberg has taken all the magic away and turned it into a tourist trap and a land of “OH NO YOU CANT DO THAT HERE!”

BLOOMBERG , YOU’RE A BAD LITTLE FAIRY!

So now there are bike lanes so that bikers don’t kill ya when you walk on the street. Of course now that they lost income for da bikes they have placed muni meters all over the place with 2 hours limits. So what eva you do, you better be back in 2 hours or the rent a cops ticket ya. Now they added more lanes for Zip bikes you can rent and return at any docking station..  Can you say Jetsons?

Then he made Times Square a walking promenade with table and chairs and you can even get waiter service at the table in the street!  It’s a freakin MALL...Ohhhfahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Do ya smoke? Well forget that you cant !!  NOT IN THE PARKS ON THE SREETS OR THE BEACH, SAID SAM I AM.

No Smoking!

No Big Gulp Soda!

No Baby Formula!

No No No No  !!!!

But the latest has out me over the edge! NO SINGING IN PUBLIC PLACES!  YUP, YOU HEARD ME, NO SINGING.

Not in Central Park, not in Squares and not in Strawberry Fields!  Did you eva?

There is an amazing building in Central Park and if you stand in it and sing the acoustics’ are like a cathedral.

There was always this wonderful group of Black men that would sing doo whop songs and it bellowed. People left them money and bought there home made CD’s. Yesterday they got ticketed!

Do you realize how many people come from all over the world to Strawberry Fields? Especially on John Lennon’s birthday or anniversary of his death they would gather and sing, Imagine or Give Peace a Chance.

Well those days are now gone because of this little midget of a man that has more money that you and I will ever see.

How the hell does he get away with this?

WHAT HAPPENED TO FREEDOM?

Sadly New York is now just an over priced suburb of a   massive amount of people pretending that they live in a very cool place. As for me I’d rather live off an exit and sing when ever I want.

Yo Bloomberg – go home and get cha shine box!!

Start spreading the news, they’re leaving that town, they want a brand new start again – not in New York. Cuz if u, can’t sing there, you can sing ova here.

It’s up to you New York, NEW NOT !!!!!

The Wonder of Two

Life can be cruel, hard, painful, sad, lonely, happy, and fruitful or what cha make of it J

I don’t know many people that are sans baggage or hurt and pain. However I do know that if you life by the things that have damaged you, this will define your destiny.

A self-fulfilling prophecy of a down ward spiral.

As for me, I have my moments, sometimes even dayz of being in the sludge and then I yell at myself! Out loud, like a crazy Italian Chick ~ knock if off Mare!!

I was always one to look for the silver lining. Just like the Italian Jiminy Cricket J Hello my Baby, Hello my Honey, Hello my ragtime gal ~ remember that cartoon?  The Italian construction worker, Pasquale found a frog in the work site and the frog sang that song but when Pasquale took him to an agents office the frog did nothing but ribbit, ribbit – hummmmmmm?

Pasquale depended on the frog to make him money. Aye Pasquale, ma what’s a wrong wit chew. You lazy bastid.

It’s the power of one that draws the power of others to create magic. You need to believe in what you have inside of you and live it and act it and do it.

It’s not always easy and requires extreme self-motivation but “YOU CAN!”

Being a hopeful romantic, for me I believe in the wonder of two.

The person that fills your soul and captures your heart ~ where each time you see them it’s like the first time.

I know some of you are saying oh pleaseeeeeeeeee – Life happens and then ya let shit roll in and before ya now it the passion and magic are only found in a movie and not in your life any more.

Well here is a little secret I use! There are three people in your relationship!  Ok wise asses don’t go there - J

Meaning it’s you, your person and the relationship. If you consider your relationship as a separate entity it will require you to pay attention to it and just not let it saunter about like a child lost at the mall.

Now don’t get me wrong, its important that you have your needs met, your person’s needs met but you also have to meet the needs of your relationship. Ahhhhhh- so once in a while you have to let go of that selfish part of ME,MYSELF & I. If not you are truly not taking any responsibility and that is plain and simple a cop out.

When you really let go and let love, it’s then that you discover the wonder of two.

The one that you can count on. The one that makes any hurt feel less than because they are there. The one that make you laugh and the one you can lay your head on and feel all is well with the world.

So if you find yourself in a rut or not connecting have a conversation with your relationship, you’ll be surprised what you can learn.

The first thing you will find out is that you need to get dressed and go out for dinner with the intentions of talking about your dreams not your problems. Like magic you will feel an instant difference. Then take a stroll down memory lane to a time when you both met and relive it again.

OK I know some of you are saying- great Mare but I have not found that person and ya know what? I don’t think it even exists!

SNAP OUT OF IT ~~~

If ya keep thinking like that you never will – remember you draw in what you are. If you believe you are empty you always will be. It took me forever to find my dream and I fight for it all the time.

They say love comes from the most unexpected places and if you need to jump up and down on one leg and chant,” I do believe, I do!” then do it.

Start your quest for the Wonder of two rather then spending your entire life wondering who.