An Inside Job
You know how you get a song stuck in your head? No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try – there it is again, and again, and again, the same tune floating in your head, whistling between your teeth, seeping out under your breath. It would almost be meditative in it’s mantra like quality, if it also wasn’t driving you BATTY!! And, I guess it’s because I am a storyteller, that not only ditties llike “All the Single Ladies” by Beyonce, or the Hawaii Five-O theme song sometimes play in an endless loop in my head, but tales get lodged in my busy little brain as well.
Sometimes the folktales that take over my mind are ones I am working on, sometimes they’re ones I’ve heard another teller perform well, and sometimes, like the one that is presently presenting itself 24/7 in my life, they are ones containing a lesson so immediate, so relevant to my personal experience of the moment, they are my best chance of ever expressing my feelings adequately. And that is why, since returning from the impoverished, devastated, but remarkably joyous country of Haiti, the tale of “The Happy Man’s” shirt is almost always on my mind.
Basically, it goes like this. A king has a young son, who, no matter what his father, or anyone else does is sad. The king gathers together his top advisors, and they tell him that the only way to cure the prince of his depression is to dress him in the shirt of a happy man. The king, thinking this would be a simple cure, goes first to the home of a pious priest, whom radiates happiness and peace. But when the priest jumps at the king’s offer of money and comfort, the king realizes that the priest isn’t TRULY happy – for if he was, he wouldn’t be so quick to want to change his life.
The king journeys to a nearby land, and meets with a sultan, who is known for his joyfulness. “Oh yes, yes!!”, the sultan tells the king. “I am COMPLETLELY content!! I want for nothing, every day is a gift to me, and I would not change one single detail of my life!!” Hearing this, the king’s heart begins to soar – here is the happy man, whose shirt he can use to save his son!! But, just as he is about to ask the sultan for a shirt, the other man leans in and whispers, “There are times, though, where I worry, that all I have will be taken from me, and that fills me with fear.” The King stand to leave, for in this statement of fear, the sultan revealed that he was not totally happy.
For weeks, the king wandered the countryside searching endlessly for one completely happy man – but he found none. Exhausted from his travels, the king was making his way back to his kingdom, when he heard singing – joyous, jubilant singing. The king followed the sound to a grove of trees, where there he saw a man radiating happiness as he danced and sang. “My good man,” said the king. “You seem to be happy – the happiest man I’ve ever seen – are you, dear fellow, as happy as you seem?”
“Happy??? Happy??” the man replied, between fits of giggles. “Why yes sir, I am COMPLETELY content, I am full of joy. Every day is a marvel to me, I have no worries, and I would change places with no man.”
Hearing those words, the king began to dance almost as jubilantly as the man. The two men whirled, and laughed, and sang, until they were breathless. Finally, when the king found his composure, he turned to that happy man, and asked for his shirt.
Again, the man began to laugh uncontrollably. “My shirt?? My shirt??” he said, between gales of laughter.
“Yes, my friend,” said the king. “Your shirt!”
“Oh my,” said the man, smiling broadly. “I’m afraid I cannot do that!”
“But why??”
And it was then, that that happy man, that completely happy man, opened his jacket, and showed the king, that he had no shirt.
The lesson that joy is within us, and that material things cannot give us happiness, is one that is oft spoken, but is sooooooooooooo difficult to live, but whenever I need a reminder that money can’t buy love, peace, happiness or joy – in short, all the really important things in life, I think of the joyous people of Haiti, how they, like the happy man, have little – except that which is most important – joy. I remember their glowing faces, as they chanted, danced, and laughed with us amidst more destruction, poverty, and filth than I could ever possibly describe to you here. I remember how the parent’s lovingly encouraged their children to play, and most of all I remember how joyous I felt – being of service to my fellow human beings. It was a joy that came from deep within me, proving to me, once and for all what the happy man in that old folktale seemed to instinctively know, that joy is an inside job!!!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
The Incredible Changing Middle Schooler
I LOVE middle schoolers!!!! The way they really are “in the middle” – not the bouncey kids of the third grade, and not yet the often eye rolling teens. They still have a younger child’s sense of wonder, even while they internally chide themselves for having it. At that age, they can be any size, too. The girls can be either so tiny that their legs are twig like, or fully developed and wearing eye shadow and lip gloss. And the boys seem to range from those whose little arms hang out of their over sized tee shirts, to those who suffer from intense five o’clock shadow. Everything about them is in transition, sometimes with more rises and dips than a roller coaster ride. How do any of us survive that period of our lives???
I have just started a five visit residency with some of these rapidly evolving young people, and what makes them all the more extraordinary is that they are all recent immigrants to this country. Which means – on top of changing bodies, hormones, and sense of self - they also have to learn a different country’s language, culture, and stories. A big job, especially at the time of one’s life when things like pimples, and growth spurts come without warning. But, these kids seem totally up for the challenge.
On my first visit, I spoke of my grandmother to them before telling my folktales. I told of how she was an immigrant to this country, about how she missed her homeland, and how her stories of her upbringing in a foreign place held my siblings and I in a thrall. After I told them a story that I thought “Nanny” – as we called my grandmother might like, I asked if they had a tale from a grandparent, or other relative they could share. I had barely gotten the query out of my mouth when the tiniest of the young men in the room raised his hand – an Asian Harry Potter, with round glasses, and a studious look, Victor proceeded to tell me, in slow, broken, accented English a tale his Chinese mother had told him. Besides him was Katherine – a twelve year old with more sophistication in her pinky than I possess in my entire body. As Victor recounted his tale, I glanced around room, expecting to see the snickers I so often do in a classroom when one student is having a hard time speaking; but instead I saw looks of encouragement, understanding, and, from Katherine, a fierce protectiveness, and an interest in his story. Victor’s courage fueled other students to cast aside their shyness and self confidence, and allowed them to bring to their new country and classroom, a bit of the old one. It opened the door for a cross cultural sharing of stories, and each of these students, whose every fiber is changing millisecond by millisecond, was able to find footing in the one thing that has been around since the beginning of time – stories.
I LOVE middle schoolers!!!! The way they really are “in the middle” – not the bouncey kids of the third grade, and not yet the often eye rolling teens. They still have a younger child’s sense of wonder, even while they internally chide themselves for having it. At that age, they can be any size, too. The girls can be either so tiny that their legs are twig like, or fully developed and wearing eye shadow and lip gloss. And the boys seem to range from those whose little arms hang out of their over sized tee shirts, to those who suffer from intense five o’clock shadow. Everything about them is in transition, sometimes with more rises and dips than a roller coaster ride. How do any of us survive that period of our lives???
I have just started a five visit residency with some of these rapidly evolving young people, and what makes them all the more extraordinary is that they are all recent immigrants to this country. Which means – on top of changing bodies, hormones, and sense of self - they also have to learn a different country’s language, culture, and stories. A big job, especially at the time of one’s life when things like pimples, and growth spurts come without warning. But, these kids seem totally up for the challenge.
On my first visit, I spoke of my grandmother to them before telling my folktales. I told of how she was an immigrant to this country, about how she missed her homeland, and how her stories of her upbringing in a foreign place held my siblings and I in a thrall. After I told them a story that I thought “Nanny” – as we called my grandmother might like, I asked if they had a tale from a grandparent, or other relative they could share. I had barely gotten the query out of my mouth when the tiniest of the young men in the room raised his hand – an Asian Harry Potter, with round glasses, and a studious look, Victor proceeded to tell me, in slow, broken, accented English a tale his Chinese mother had told him. Besides him was Katherine – a twelve year old with more sophistication in her pinky than I possess in my entire body. As Victor recounted his tale, I glanced around room, expecting to see the snickers I so often do in a classroom when one student is having a hard time speaking; but instead I saw looks of encouragement, understanding, and, from Katherine, a fierce protectiveness, and an interest in his story. Victor’s courage fueled other students to cast aside their shyness and self confidence, and allowed them to bring to their new country and classroom, a bit of the old one. It opened the door for a cross cultural sharing of stories, and each of these students, whose every fiber is changing millisecond by millisecond, was able to find footing in the one thing that has been around since the beginning of time – stories.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
UPCOMING APPEARANCES
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
The following list includes my public performances only. No school or private performances are listed here. Things change from time to time, so do be sure to check the schedule.
November 2010:
11/23: Fort Lee Library, NJ 3:45PM
December 2010:
12/8: Barnes and Noble, Clifton 11AM
12/11: State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ 10AM, 12PM
12/18: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Kwanzaa Festival, Newark, NJ 1PM
January 2011:
1/17: Unitarian Society, Ridgewood, NJ 1PM
February 2011:
2/8: Hillside Library, NJ time: TBA
2/23: Westfield Library, NJ time:TBA
So,,, where is Julie when she’s not storytelling?
She might be….Performing as Dr. Ima Confused, her character for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program at Harlem Hospital for the pediatric patients and their families. Or, you could catch her stilt walking at any number of special events. She also might be…performing as any number of characters for the Big Apple Circus Vaudeville Caravan program at the Montrose and Castle Point Veterans Hospitals. And, of course, you might find her…teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga Studio in Hoboken, NJ (mostly Monday and Friday nights, but some other times as well). And, never forget that sometimes she’s cleaning chimneys – okay, not for real – but I just looking for an ending!!!
The following list includes my public performances only. No school or private performances are listed here. Things change from time to time, so do be sure to check the schedule.
November 2010:
11/23: Fort Lee Library, NJ 3:45PM
December 2010:
12/8: Barnes and Noble, Clifton 11AM
12/11: State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ 10AM, 12PM
12/18: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Kwanzaa Festival, Newark, NJ 1PM
January 2011:
1/17: Unitarian Society, Ridgewood, NJ 1PM
February 2011:
2/8: Hillside Library, NJ time: TBA
2/23: Westfield Library, NJ time:TBA
So,,, where is Julie when she’s not storytelling?
She might be….Performing as Dr. Ima Confused, her character for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program at Harlem Hospital for the pediatric patients and their families. Or, you could catch her stilt walking at any number of special events. She also might be…performing as any number of characters for the Big Apple Circus Vaudeville Caravan program at the Montrose and Castle Point Veterans Hospitals. And, of course, you might find her…teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga Studio in Hoboken, NJ (mostly Monday and Friday nights, but some other times as well). And, never forget that sometimes she’s cleaning chimneys – okay, not for real – but I just looking for an ending!!!
Friday, October 1, 2010
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
The following list includes my public performances only. No school or private performances are listed here. Things change from time to time, so do be sure to check the schedule.
October 2010:
10/17: Madison Library, NJ 2:30PM
10/22: Devotion Yoga, Hoboken, NJ (tales plus yoga class) 7PM
10/23: Eastern Branch, Monmouth Library, Shrewsbury, NJ 11AM
10/23: Howell Branch, Monmouth Library, Howell, NJ 2PM
November 2010:
11/23: Fort Lee Library, NJ 3:45PM
December 2010:
12/11: State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ 10AM, 12PM
12/18: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Kwanzaa Festival, Newark, NJ 2PM
January 2011:
1/17: Unitarian Society, Ridgewood, NJ 1PM
February 2011:
2/8: Hillside Library, NJ time: TBA
So,,, where is Julie when she’s not storytelling?
She might be….Performing as Dr. Ima Confused, her character for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program at Harlem Hospital for the pediatric patients and their families. Or, you could catch her stilt walking at any number of special events. She also might be…performing as any number of characters for the Big Apple Circus Vaudeville Caravan program at the Montrose and Castle Point Veterans Hospitals. And, of course, you might find her…teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga Studio in Hoboken, NJ (mostly Monday and Friday nights, but some other times as well). And, never forget that sometimes she’s cleaning chimneys – okay, not for real – but I just looking for an ending!!!
The following list includes my public performances only. No school or private performances are listed here. Things change from time to time, so do be sure to check the schedule.
October 2010:
10/17: Madison Library, NJ 2:30PM
10/22: Devotion Yoga, Hoboken, NJ (tales plus yoga class) 7PM
10/23: Eastern Branch, Monmouth Library, Shrewsbury, NJ 11AM
10/23: Howell Branch, Monmouth Library, Howell, NJ 2PM
November 2010:
11/23: Fort Lee Library, NJ 3:45PM
December 2010:
12/11: State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ 10AM, 12PM
12/18: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Kwanzaa Festival, Newark, NJ 2PM
January 2011:
1/17: Unitarian Society, Ridgewood, NJ 1PM
February 2011:
2/8: Hillside Library, NJ time: TBA
So,,, where is Julie when she’s not storytelling?
She might be….Performing as Dr. Ima Confused, her character for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program at Harlem Hospital for the pediatric patients and their families. Or, you could catch her stilt walking at any number of special events. She also might be…performing as any number of characters for the Big Apple Circus Vaudeville Caravan program at the Montrose and Castle Point Veterans Hospitals. And, of course, you might find her…teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga Studio in Hoboken, NJ (mostly Monday and Friday nights, but some other times as well). And, never forget that sometimes she’s cleaning chimneys – okay, not for real – but I just looking for an ending!!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
NOTES FROM THE FIELD: "THE GIRLS"
Although I sometimes make fun of myself because of my monkey length arms, the animal I more closely have resembled for most of my life is the "lone wolf". Solitude has never scared me, in fact I have always needed more of it than most people. Often when I tell others this, they are in shock - "YOU??? Why you're so outgoing! So friendly! I don't mean to be rude, Julie, but you're so talkative!" And while all those things are certainly true (good lord, sometimes I swear I can't shut myself up!!!), it has never taken away from the fact that I NEED, and I mean NEED to be alone.
I long ago made peace with this facet of my personality, and have quite happily bowed out of parties, outings, and social doings, to spend some quality time with me, myself, and I. One of the reasons I knew my husband was the man for me is because we could be together so many hours of the day on our first vacation together, and I never once felt the all too familiar "I GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE" suffocation I quite often get when around too many people, for too long a time. But as nourishing as these personal space breaks are, they have come at a price - I don't have a lot of friends. Now before you start saying, "Awwwwww, poor Julie" - I don't mean that to say I'm lonely, and no one emails, calls, or facebooks me (ironically, on facebook, I have more friends than I truely know what to do with). What I mean is that I never had a "pack of friends", I never did roadtrips with, or went out with that group know as "THE GIRLS". In fact that type of thing was as alien to me as people who don't like Diet Peach Snapple (unheard of in my world) or working out (I know these folks exist, but how can they possibly not like to get a good sweat on?????). Even folktales containing tight friendships never registered on own my story radar, and I scoffed at stories like the Haitian tale 'Tipingee" when I heard them told - all that female bonding, come on, I would believe that Rapunzel's hair was real, and not a weave before I would buy that one.
You see, in the tale of Tipingee, a mean stepmother (sorry stepmoms everywhere, I know you get a bum rap in storyland) makes a deal with an old man. If he carries her wood, she (the stepmom) will give him her stepdaughter, Tipingee for a wife. In order to recognize her, the old guy is told what color dress Tipingee will be wearing the next day. But when Tipingee overhears this, she rushes to her group of friends and begs them to all wear the same color dress she is so as to confuse her would be kidnapper. Not only do the girls all dress alike (and we all know how embarrassing it is to come to the party wearing what others are wearing!!!!!!), they also taunt the man, all claiming that they are Tipingee. Confused and overwhelmed, the man gives up and leaves. Typical person's response: OOOOOOH, how sweet!!! Mine: OOOOOOOH, I don't think so!!!!!
But then - and there's always a "but then" moment, isn't there - I went to yoga teacher training school, and met the most amazing, welcoming, fearless women I had ever met in my life. At first, I was like I always am in groups - friendly, but not deep. Flitting around from person to person, never staying very long in a conversation, never revealing too much about myself - bubbly, fun, but pretty surface. But yoga is a funny thing, it works on more levels than any of us can truely understand - sort of the way deep wisdom tales in storytelling do, so that somewhere along the way in that year of weekends with these women, I opened up to them, I let myself be seen, and I realy saw them. We laughed and talked and giggled, but we also shared in a way that I have done with very few people in my life. They became individuals I really wanted in my life, they became "THE GIRLS". So, whereas I turned down my nose at the story of Tipingee before, I am now welcoming it into my repetoire, and I feel as if I can perform it from a place of truth, and a place that knows what a group of friends actually feels like. And each time I perform it, I will dedicate it to those women, who taught me so much about what friendship is!
I long ago made peace with this facet of my personality, and have quite happily bowed out of parties, outings, and social doings, to spend some quality time with me, myself, and I. One of the reasons I knew my husband was the man for me is because we could be together so many hours of the day on our first vacation together, and I never once felt the all too familiar "I GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE" suffocation I quite often get when around too many people, for too long a time. But as nourishing as these personal space breaks are, they have come at a price - I don't have a lot of friends. Now before you start saying, "Awwwwww, poor Julie" - I don't mean that to say I'm lonely, and no one emails, calls, or facebooks me (ironically, on facebook, I have more friends than I truely know what to do with). What I mean is that I never had a "pack of friends", I never did roadtrips with, or went out with that group know as "THE GIRLS". In fact that type of thing was as alien to me as people who don't like Diet Peach Snapple (unheard of in my world) or working out (I know these folks exist, but how can they possibly not like to get a good sweat on?????). Even folktales containing tight friendships never registered on own my story radar, and I scoffed at stories like the Haitian tale 'Tipingee" when I heard them told - all that female bonding, come on, I would believe that Rapunzel's hair was real, and not a weave before I would buy that one.
You see, in the tale of Tipingee, a mean stepmother (sorry stepmoms everywhere, I know you get a bum rap in storyland) makes a deal with an old man. If he carries her wood, she (the stepmom) will give him her stepdaughter, Tipingee for a wife. In order to recognize her, the old guy is told what color dress Tipingee will be wearing the next day. But when Tipingee overhears this, she rushes to her group of friends and begs them to all wear the same color dress she is so as to confuse her would be kidnapper. Not only do the girls all dress alike (and we all know how embarrassing it is to come to the party wearing what others are wearing!!!!!!), they also taunt the man, all claiming that they are Tipingee. Confused and overwhelmed, the man gives up and leaves. Typical person's response: OOOOOOH, how sweet!!! Mine: OOOOOOOH, I don't think so!!!!!
But then - and there's always a "but then" moment, isn't there - I went to yoga teacher training school, and met the most amazing, welcoming, fearless women I had ever met in my life. At first, I was like I always am in groups - friendly, but not deep. Flitting around from person to person, never staying very long in a conversation, never revealing too much about myself - bubbly, fun, but pretty surface. But yoga is a funny thing, it works on more levels than any of us can truely understand - sort of the way deep wisdom tales in storytelling do, so that somewhere along the way in that year of weekends with these women, I opened up to them, I let myself be seen, and I realy saw them. We laughed and talked and giggled, but we also shared in a way that I have done with very few people in my life. They became individuals I really wanted in my life, they became "THE GIRLS". So, whereas I turned down my nose at the story of Tipingee before, I am now welcoming it into my repetoire, and I feel as if I can perform it from a place of truth, and a place that knows what a group of friends actually feels like. And each time I perform it, I will dedicate it to those women, who taught me so much about what friendship is!
Upcoming Performances
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
The following list includes my public performances only. No school or private performances are listed here. Things change from time to time, so do be sure to check the schedule.
August 2010:
8/3: Fairfield Library, Fairfield, NJ 1PM
8/4: Franklin Lakes Library, Franklin Lakes, NJ 7PM
8/10: Franklin Lakes Library, Franklin Lakes, NJ 3PM
8/14: Hans Christian Anderson Statue, Central Park, NYC 11AM
8/21: Hans Christian Anderson Statue, Central Park, NYC 11AM
8/18: Brooklyn Public Library, Crown Heights Branch, NYC 3:30PM
September 2010:
9/10: Devotion Yoga, Hoboken, NJ (tales plus yoga class) 7PM
9/12: New Jersey Storytelling Festival, Hamilton, NJ time TBA
9/15: Maywood Library, Maywood, NJ 11AM
9/18: Afro-American Historical Society Museum, Jersey City, NJ 12PM
October 2010:
10/22: Devotion Yoga, Hoboken, NJ (tales plus yoga class) 7PM
10/23: Eastern Branch, Monmouth Library, Shrewsbury, NJ 11AM
10/23: Howell Branch, Monmouth Library, Howell, NJ 2PM
So,,, where is Julie when she’s not storytelling?
She might be….Performing as Dr. Ima Confused, her character for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program at Harlem Hospital for the pediatric patients and their families. She also might be…performing as any number of characters for the Big Apple Circus Vaudeville Caravan program at the Montrose and Castle Point Veterans Hospitals. And, of course, you might find her…teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga Studio in Hoboken, NJ (mostly Monday and Friday nights, but some other times as well). And, never forget that sometimes she’s cleaning chimneys – okay, not for real – but I just looking for an ending!!!!
The following list includes my public performances only. No school or private performances are listed here. Things change from time to time, so do be sure to check the schedule.
August 2010:
8/3: Fairfield Library, Fairfield, NJ 1PM
8/4: Franklin Lakes Library, Franklin Lakes, NJ 7PM
8/10: Franklin Lakes Library, Franklin Lakes, NJ 3PM
8/14: Hans Christian Anderson Statue, Central Park, NYC 11AM
8/21: Hans Christian Anderson Statue, Central Park, NYC 11AM
8/18: Brooklyn Public Library, Crown Heights Branch, NYC 3:30PM
September 2010:
9/10: Devotion Yoga, Hoboken, NJ (tales plus yoga class) 7PM
9/12: New Jersey Storytelling Festival, Hamilton, NJ time TBA
9/15: Maywood Library, Maywood, NJ 11AM
9/18: Afro-American Historical Society Museum, Jersey City, NJ 12PM
October 2010:
10/22: Devotion Yoga, Hoboken, NJ (tales plus yoga class) 7PM
10/23: Eastern Branch, Monmouth Library, Shrewsbury, NJ 11AM
10/23: Howell Branch, Monmouth Library, Howell, NJ 2PM
So,,, where is Julie when she’s not storytelling?
She might be….Performing as Dr. Ima Confused, her character for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program at Harlem Hospital for the pediatric patients and their families. She also might be…performing as any number of characters for the Big Apple Circus Vaudeville Caravan program at the Montrose and Castle Point Veterans Hospitals. And, of course, you might find her…teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga Studio in Hoboken, NJ (mostly Monday and Friday nights, but some other times as well). And, never forget that sometimes she’s cleaning chimneys – okay, not for real – but I just looking for an ending!!!!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES AS OF JULY 2012
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
MANY OF MY PERFORMANCES ARE AT SCHOOLS,OR OTHER PRIVATE EVENTS, THAT I CAN'T INVITE THE PUBLIC TO. WHAT IS LISTED BELOW ARE SOME OPEN PERFORMANCES ANYONE CAN COME TO.
AUGUST 2012:
8/1/12: Summit Library, NJ 3PM
8/30/12: Crown Heights Library, Brooklyn, NY 3:30PM
SEPTEMBER 2012:
Monroe Township Library, NJ 7PM
FEBRUARY 2013:
2/23/13: Hempstead Library, NY 2PM
APRIL 2013:
Hoboken Library, NJ 2PM
SO, WHERE'S JULIE, WHEN SHE'S NOT TELLING STORIES...WELL, SHE MIGHT BE
Performing for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care hospital program bringing clowning and joy to hospitalized children, their families, and hospital staff. OR SHE MIGHT BE travelling to Haiti for Clowns Without Borders bringing physical comedy, clown, and circus skills to children and families in need. OR SHE MIGHT BE...teaching yoga at Devotion Yoga in Hoboken, NJ, OR SHE MIGHT BE walking stilts, clowning or dancing at all manner of special events. OR SHE MIGHT BE..drinking Diet Peach Snapple, her favorite beverage!!!
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