As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of life lessons for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. You may not agree with all of them and they may not work for everybody, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.
# 47 Don't be embarrassed if you think you are dying.
This may seem like a silly piece of advice, but it is worth listening to. The other day I was at rehearsal. I had developed a small cold as my body decided it was time to shut down. However, it was not a good time for a system melt down, so I was fighting it to the best of my abilities. I had my juice, water, tissues, and cough drops and I was ready to go. I put in a cough drop so that I wouldn't annoy the rest of the cast as they were reading through a scene that I didn't happen to be in. I popped it in and all was fine until all of a sudden it slipped right down my throat. I tried very gracefully to cough it back up at the same time that I was hoping it would just continue down. All I could think of was that I was about to severely interrupt rehearsal and we only have such a small amount of precious time. I turned frantically to my fellow cast member sitting next to me and motioned wildly. I was trying to not give the universal signal for choking, all the while knowing that I was. Right at the moment when I had decided to give the universal signal, I regained my breath and began to cough again. I slipped into a sort of semi conscious state and I could hear everyone talking around me once they all realized what was going on. "Is she choking?" "Do you need some water?" "She's not choking, she's coughing." "Are you ok?" Finally I got the cough drop out of my throat and into a tissue. Crisis averted.
I may have survived, but I was so embarrassed that I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. I felt like everyone was judging me. Let me just say that it was stupid of me to feel that way. If you ever feel like there is something really wrong, don't hesitate to draw as much attention to yourself as necessary. I shouldn't have been embarrassed that I was choking, I should have been relieved that they all finally noticed.
When you're all choked up, don't be embarrassed. Get help in any way possible.
Recommended buy: The American Medical Association Handbook of First Aid
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Haunted Houses
As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody, and you may may not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.
# 20 Haunted houses are not REAL
I know that it isn't Halloween. I also know that it really isn't even fall. However, recent events in my life have caused me to think about this fact. I was recently cast is the town of Sleepy Hollow's haunted Hallowen attraction as an undead, creepy character. There has been a lot of talk about prosthetics, makeup, colored contacts, costumes, etc.
I have always been scared easily. I still open my closet and check under my bed before I sleep. I look behind shower curtains and like to have a light on while I am sleeping. When I am in a city where I drive, I still check the backseat before getting into the car.
Once, when I was probably eight, nine at the most, I BEGGED my brother to take my friend and me to this haunted house. I begged and begged and he kept saying no. Finally, much to his dismay, he agreed. He usually caved in where I was concerned. So my friend came over for a sleep over and then we went to the haunted house. I was terrified, but I wanted to prove to my brother (and myself) that I could be brave. We waited in line and the anticipation grew and grew. Finally it was our turn to go in. He took my hand and said "are you sure?" I nodded, simply because my throat had closed up and I was no longer capable of speaking.
I would like to tell you that I made it the whole way through. I would actually like to tell you that I even made it halfway through. I feel the truth is that I possibly made it 2 minutes... maybe.... but to me, at the time, it was an eternity. The details are rather vague because perhaps I have blocked them out. I remember screaming until I thought my throat was going to bleed, and it's possible that it did. I remember crying until I thought there couldn't possibly be anymore tears. I vaguely remember my brother picking me up, and all of a sudden this kind lady came out from the shadows. I don't know where she came from, but now I am certain that her only job in the haunted house was to act as sort of a guardian angel and follow around the kids who stand in line and try to be brave. She looked like Snow White, and I think I remember her taking my hand and walking me up to a warewolf or a goblin and then he took his mask off. He was a person, probably my brother's age. He could have been one of my brother's friends. He hugged me and told me not to be scared.
Looking back, I realize that at this point I should have been able to acquire my bravery badge and continue, but I just couldn't. The lights came on for a brief minute, and no one was allowed in until they got me to safety.
Since then, I have had the opportunity to play a zombie in a small student film. I got to wear prosthetics, make up, and even chew on some plastic legs. Now, again, I have the opportunity to be one of those scary creatures. I have I will get to see all of my fellow cast members in their make up and I hope that being on the other side of such a fabulous haunted attraction will help me to overcome my fears of haunted houses. I just hope it doesn't give me nightmares. Just kidding.
Haunted Houses are not real. The people and the actors are very much real, but the threat is not.
# 20 Haunted houses are not REAL
I know that it isn't Halloween. I also know that it really isn't even fall. However, recent events in my life have caused me to think about this fact. I was recently cast is the town of Sleepy Hollow's haunted Hallowen attraction as an undead, creepy character. There has been a lot of talk about prosthetics, makeup, colored contacts, costumes, etc.
I have always been scared easily. I still open my closet and check under my bed before I sleep. I look behind shower curtains and like to have a light on while I am sleeping. When I am in a city where I drive, I still check the backseat before getting into the car.
Once, when I was probably eight, nine at the most, I BEGGED my brother to take my friend and me to this haunted house. I begged and begged and he kept saying no. Finally, much to his dismay, he agreed. He usually caved in where I was concerned. So my friend came over for a sleep over and then we went to the haunted house. I was terrified, but I wanted to prove to my brother (and myself) that I could be brave. We waited in line and the anticipation grew and grew. Finally it was our turn to go in. He took my hand and said "are you sure?" I nodded, simply because my throat had closed up and I was no longer capable of speaking.
I would like to tell you that I made it the whole way through. I would actually like to tell you that I even made it halfway through. I feel the truth is that I possibly made it 2 minutes... maybe.... but to me, at the time, it was an eternity. The details are rather vague because perhaps I have blocked them out. I remember screaming until I thought my throat was going to bleed, and it's possible that it did. I remember crying until I thought there couldn't possibly be anymore tears. I vaguely remember my brother picking me up, and all of a sudden this kind lady came out from the shadows. I don't know where she came from, but now I am certain that her only job in the haunted house was to act as sort of a guardian angel and follow around the kids who stand in line and try to be brave. She looked like Snow White, and I think I remember her taking my hand and walking me up to a warewolf or a goblin and then he took his mask off. He was a person, probably my brother's age. He could have been one of my brother's friends. He hugged me and told me not to be scared.
Looking back, I realize that at this point I should have been able to acquire my bravery badge and continue, but I just couldn't. The lights came on for a brief minute, and no one was allowed in until they got me to safety.
Since then, I have had the opportunity to play a zombie in a small student film. I got to wear prosthetics, make up, and even chew on some plastic legs. Now, again, I have the opportunity to be one of those scary creatures. I have I will get to see all of my fellow cast members in their make up and I hope that being on the other side of such a fabulous haunted attraction will help me to overcome my fears of haunted houses. I just hope it doesn't give me nightmares. Just kidding.
Haunted Houses are not real. The people and the actors are very much real, but the threat is not.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Swimming is fun
As a grown up I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them I learned from my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them I learned from my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.
# 15 Learn to swim.
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to SWIM!!!!!!!!
Growing up, we did not have a pool, and not many of my friends did. I remember that some friends of my parents had one and we would go over there occasionally, and one of my aunts also had one. I would always play around in the shallow end, and on a floatie. I never learned to swim. My fourth grade teacher also taught swimming lessons during the summer, so I begged my parents to let me take them. I got a brand new swimsuit and I was ready to go. I finally got to the point where I could swim from one end of the pool to the other, as long as the teacher was in the pool. However, as soon as I graduated from swim lessons, the summer was over and I never practiced. After that I never really did it on my own again.
I am terrified of the water. Drowning, more specifically. It comes from a tragic event at a water park when I almost drowned because of a very large woman. I spent all of high school, not going to pool parties because I was terrified that one of the boys would try to throw me in. When I did go and they tried, I just gripped their necks so tightly that when they tried to throw me in, they came in with me. At water parks, I wouldn't go down the slides, and I would make up some excuse like "oh I have to go to the bathroom,I'll meet you guys in a bit," or "oh, I have to go take my medicine, I'll be right back."
I was too embarassed to tell my friends that I couldn't swim.
In 2008, I moved to Maui for a year. What a great place to conqure a fear of the water... sort of.
While I was there, I snorkled, scuba dived, attempted surfing and even jumped off of a (very tiny) waterfall. I realized that it wasn't necessarily that I couldn't swim. I knew how, it just terrified me. However, once I put that mask on and I could see everything, I could do it. It took a few times of someone else holding my hand, but eventually I did it.
If you don't know how to swim, you can potentially miss out on a lot of fun. Marco Polo is a wonderful game. So are pool volleyball, chicken and all of the others. If you know how to swim, you can go to pool parties and the beach with your friends and actually have fun in the water. And, you won't have to make up excuses as to why you are only going in the water up to your knees.
# 15 Learn to swim.
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to SWIM!!!!!!!!
Growing up, we did not have a pool, and not many of my friends did. I remember that some friends of my parents had one and we would go over there occasionally, and one of my aunts also had one. I would always play around in the shallow end, and on a floatie. I never learned to swim. My fourth grade teacher also taught swimming lessons during the summer, so I begged my parents to let me take them. I got a brand new swimsuit and I was ready to go. I finally got to the point where I could swim from one end of the pool to the other, as long as the teacher was in the pool. However, as soon as I graduated from swim lessons, the summer was over and I never practiced. After that I never really did it on my own again.
I am terrified of the water. Drowning, more specifically. It comes from a tragic event at a water park when I almost drowned because of a very large woman. I spent all of high school, not going to pool parties because I was terrified that one of the boys would try to throw me in. When I did go and they tried, I just gripped their necks so tightly that when they tried to throw me in, they came in with me. At water parks, I wouldn't go down the slides, and I would make up some excuse like "oh I have to go to the bathroom,I'll meet you guys in a bit," or "oh, I have to go take my medicine, I'll be right back."
I was too embarassed to tell my friends that I couldn't swim.
In 2008, I moved to Maui for a year. What a great place to conqure a fear of the water... sort of.
While I was there, I snorkled, scuba dived, attempted surfing and even jumped off of a (very tiny) waterfall. I realized that it wasn't necessarily that I couldn't swim. I knew how, it just terrified me. However, once I put that mask on and I could see everything, I could do it. It took a few times of someone else holding my hand, but eventually I did it.
If you don't know how to swim, you can potentially miss out on a lot of fun. Marco Polo is a wonderful game. So are pool volleyball, chicken and all of the others. If you know how to swim, you can go to pool parties and the beach with your friends and actually have fun in the water. And, you won't have to make up excuses as to why you are only going in the water up to your knees.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Spiders and what not...
As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say, everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.
# 14 Catch Spiders in a Jar
I would like to begin by saying that this is one that I am still working on. I am almost there, but I don't quite have it yet.
My mother would never kill spiders. "Don't kill it," she would say, "they kill mosquitos." She would stop whatever she was doing, whether it be drying her hair, laundry, cooking, and would always catch spiders in a jar.
Now, there is actually an art to it. You can't just put a jar down and hope that the spider jumps in. In order to catch a spider properly in a jar you need: a small glass jar, slightly larger than a baby food jar. Then you need exactly half of a paper plate. It has to be one of those cheap, flimsy paper plates with the ridges on the rim. Then you very gracefully, and quickly, place the jar down around the spider, before he knows what hit him. Then you slide the jar, and its contents, onto the half of a paper plate. Once this is accomplished, you pick up both the plate and the jar and take him outside and release him.
I know it may sound simple, but trust me, the hardest part is the moment when you pick up both the plate and the spider. It took me a very long time to get it so the spider would not fall out in the split second that I stood up.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn't spray spiders with your hairspray, or beat them with your shoe, or surrender your house to them and just move. Spiders eat mosquitos. That is a proven fact. I would also like to interject here with, I have no problem with you killing mosquitos. Spiders also, are more afraid of you than you are of them. I know you've heard that one before, but imagine being dropped down in a land where everyone was at least 10,000 times your size. I would certainly not want one of them to stomp on me with his shoe. Also, spiders have families that they need to provide for, just like we do. They do not come into your house to scare you. They get lost and loose their way, and need someone to rescue them.
The moral of the story is this: Save a spider, kill a mosquito.
# 14 Catch Spiders in a Jar
I would like to begin by saying that this is one that I am still working on. I am almost there, but I don't quite have it yet.
My mother would never kill spiders. "Don't kill it," she would say, "they kill mosquitos." She would stop whatever she was doing, whether it be drying her hair, laundry, cooking, and would always catch spiders in a jar.
Now, there is actually an art to it. You can't just put a jar down and hope that the spider jumps in. In order to catch a spider properly in a jar you need: a small glass jar, slightly larger than a baby food jar. Then you need exactly half of a paper plate. It has to be one of those cheap, flimsy paper plates with the ridges on the rim. Then you very gracefully, and quickly, place the jar down around the spider, before he knows what hit him. Then you slide the jar, and its contents, onto the half of a paper plate. Once this is accomplished, you pick up both the plate and the jar and take him outside and release him.
I know it may sound simple, but trust me, the hardest part is the moment when you pick up both the plate and the spider. It took me a very long time to get it so the spider would not fall out in the split second that I stood up.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn't spray spiders with your hairspray, or beat them with your shoe, or surrender your house to them and just move. Spiders eat mosquitos. That is a proven fact. I would also like to interject here with, I have no problem with you killing mosquitos. Spiders also, are more afraid of you than you are of them. I know you've heard that one before, but imagine being dropped down in a land where everyone was at least 10,000 times your size. I would certainly not want one of them to stomp on me with his shoe. Also, spiders have families that they need to provide for, just like we do. They do not come into your house to scare you. They get lost and loose their way, and need someone to rescue them.
The moral of the story is this: Save a spider, kill a mosquito.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Kindergarten is not a scary place...
As a grown up, I realize that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know, you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews in the world, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.
# 9 Kindergarten is not a scary place
I found out today that my precious niece is having quite the hard time adjusting to this whole kindergarten thing. She has nervous stomach anyway, and this kindergarten thing is really getting to her. She works herself into a frenzy and just gets so nervous and emotional about it that some days, she just can't physically do it. Go to kindergarten, I mean.
I understand that there are so many things that can be scary to a five year old, in new place, who has to wear a plaid jumper everyday. She is terrified of fire drills, which I get. The thought of fire is horrific. However, as a grown up, I realize that with every good fire drill, occasionally you get some really hot fireman.
Maybe she is scared of messing up or doing something wrong. Perhaps she is afraid to color outside of the lines. As a grown up, I realize that coloring outside the lines isn't always a bad thing.
She could also very well be afraid of the upcoming musical in which she has to play a sheep. It was the kindergarten Christmas pageant, when I wore the tinsel icicle costume that my mom slaved over. I hated this costume until I walked on stage and the entire audience "oohed" and "ahhed". From that moment on, I had the acting bug, and it never went away. Thank you kindergarten for causing me to move to NYC.
Maybe she is afraid that she won't make any friends, but one little boy in her class told the teacher that he prayed for her and hoped she would be his girlfriend. Maybe she is afraid she WILL make friends.
I don't remember being scared of kindergarten. My mom stayed home with me and we had crafts, and storytime, and naptime, and snacks. I'm fairly certain that I went into it thinking it would just be my daily activities, but with more people and in a different setting.
To this day, I don't still speak to a single person that I went to kindergarten with. However, I do remember that I learned to tie my shoe, count to 100, read on a second grade level, make butter in a jar, and I found the passion that I have taken with me everywhere I go. That is passion is what motivates me to get up in the mornings, and scour the audition notices.
Kindergarten isn't scary, it is a wonderful place for learning, and having adventures, and growing. If you can survive it, you are well on your way to at least being a well rounded first grader.
Recommended reading: The Night Before Kindergarten Reading Railroad Series
The Night Before Kindergarten (Reading Railroad Books Series)
# 9 Kindergarten is not a scary place
I found out today that my precious niece is having quite the hard time adjusting to this whole kindergarten thing. She has nervous stomach anyway, and this kindergarten thing is really getting to her. She works herself into a frenzy and just gets so nervous and emotional about it that some days, she just can't physically do it. Go to kindergarten, I mean.
I understand that there are so many things that can be scary to a five year old, in new place, who has to wear a plaid jumper everyday. She is terrified of fire drills, which I get. The thought of fire is horrific. However, as a grown up, I realize that with every good fire drill, occasionally you get some really hot fireman.
Maybe she is scared of messing up or doing something wrong. Perhaps she is afraid to color outside of the lines. As a grown up, I realize that coloring outside the lines isn't always a bad thing.
She could also very well be afraid of the upcoming musical in which she has to play a sheep. It was the kindergarten Christmas pageant, when I wore the tinsel icicle costume that my mom slaved over. I hated this costume until I walked on stage and the entire audience "oohed" and "ahhed". From that moment on, I had the acting bug, and it never went away. Thank you kindergarten for causing me to move to NYC.
Maybe she is afraid that she won't make any friends, but one little boy in her class told the teacher that he prayed for her and hoped she would be his girlfriend. Maybe she is afraid she WILL make friends.
I don't remember being scared of kindergarten. My mom stayed home with me and we had crafts, and storytime, and naptime, and snacks. I'm fairly certain that I went into it thinking it would just be my daily activities, but with more people and in a different setting.
To this day, I don't still speak to a single person that I went to kindergarten with. However, I do remember that I learned to tie my shoe, count to 100, read on a second grade level, make butter in a jar, and I found the passion that I have taken with me everywhere I go. That is passion is what motivates me to get up in the mornings, and scour the audition notices.
Kindergarten isn't scary, it is a wonderful place for learning, and having adventures, and growing. If you can survive it, you are well on your way to at least being a well rounded first grader.
Recommended reading: The Night Before Kindergarten Reading Railroad Series
The Night Before Kindergarten (Reading Railroad Books Series)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Make that two...
As a grown up, I have realized that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. many I learned from my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be laerned by living. So, for the next year I plan to give some tiny words of wisdom to all of the nieces and nephews in the world; or really to anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody, and you might not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by, or wish I did.
Eleanore Roosevelt once said that you should do one thing everything everyday that scares you. I think...
# 2 You should make that two...
There are so many things on any given day that are scary. Some of them are small and some of them are life changing. I'm not saying that you should jump off of a cliff everyday, but I definitely think that doing two small things everyday that you wouldn't normally do will help you become stronger. By doing these two small things every day you will begin to conquer your fears and become more comfortable with yourself. Two small things could eventually change your life... or someone else's.
Eleanore Roosevelt once said that you should do one thing everything everyday that scares you. I think...
# 2 You should make that two...
There are so many things on any given day that are scary. Some of them are small and some of them are life changing. I'm not saying that you should jump off of a cliff everyday, but I definitely think that doing two small things everyday that you wouldn't normally do will help you become stronger. By doing these two small things every day you will begin to conquer your fears and become more comfortable with yourself. Two small things could eventually change your life... or someone else's.
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