(Left to right, me, with artists Jacki Dickert and Cintia Malhotra)
And last week, had a beautiful time covering the B&W Art Exhibit “Between Extremes” at The Gallery Space Pop-Up in Rahway, held at the senior center. It’s on display until May 31, 2024.
Back at “Hair” for the second time! (Look at the cute cast member photo bombing us!)
The young cast truly captured the essence of 1968
Justin Jajalla who played Woof(He danced with my husband and I during “Let the Sunshine”)
I was so happy to go see “Hair” again at Cranford Dramatic Club Theatre. It was absolutely the best. Of course the music, but then the young people looked so 1968, so dead on. It was easy to get invested in the characters and get choked up at the end. POWERFUL!
It was a rainy day, so we picked a great day to see “Hair.” As we were walking out, the sun came out. I said, “Let the sunshine.” It was so surreal in keeping the vibe as we headed to the car.
Saturday night, Dennis and I attended another heavy theater event. Canned Goods by Erik Kahn tells the gripping tale of the secret incident that launched World War II; a harrowing account of Hitler’s devious strategy to fake an attack on Germany to justify his invasion of Poland in 1939.
That one was at Hamilton Theatre in Rahway. It’s playing again in Basking Ridge next weekend.
Both plays gave you so much to think about, and further explore, which I always do. And perhaps I’ll get into another time.
Our weekend took us from the 1950s (DooWop Project on Friday night) to 1939, to 1968.
Now, in modern times, today kicks off Love + Unity Week at Town Hall in West Orange. I’ll be covering Chalk the Walk. People are invited to create sidewalk chalk drawings with messages of love and unity. There will also be musical performances. I’m excited to be covering this event for The West Orange Chronicle.
This is the first Mother’s Day without Mommy, who died last year on June 10.
It’s been a rough year without her. Many times I think I want to call her then realize I can’t.
Recently on Facebook, AARP asked the question, “What is the best lesson your mother taught you?”
I said, not to be jealous. When I was a little girl she said to me, “If someone has something you want, don’t be jealous of them, be happy for them.”
It was great advice and it worked because I’m not a jealous person. I’m everyone’s greatest cheerleader. My favorite story was when I worked at Montclair Times. One of the writers told me she worked really hard all week because her husband took her to Paris for Valentine’s Day weekend. She added, “You’re the only one I told because I knew you’d be happy for me, and not jealous.”
She was absolutely right. It’s just not in my nature because my mother’s wisdom, when she was a young mom, stuck in my head. And it’s a beautiful way to live. More free and innocent.
Over the years, she wasn’t the best mom. She wasn’t always there for me, and I lived with my grandmother most of my life. We fought A LOT. We also went a few years without speaking to each other.
The last day I had a really nice time with my mom was a year ago on Mother’s Day. She was in the hospital, but we were joking around. I share a bit of her sense of humor, privately, with a fellow blogger, Iseult Murphy. That’s one thing my mother and I had in common, our humor.
The next two times I saw her, in the hospital, she was not good and I knew the end was near.
This is another favorite picture. It’s us in the late 1980s. We’re both very much into metaphysics — and we were into it before it was a “thing.” This photo was taken after we went to a lecture, then out to eat. Today, it dawned on me, I’m first on the band wagon for a lot of things, thanks to my mom. She read all the time. I’m a reader too. An explorer. A researcher.
It’s sad that my mom was insecure and she didn’t realize nearly how great she was. I think that’s why we were often at odds. I don’t get along with insecure people. Life’s too short for that nonsense. In later years I realized the best way to get along with her was to laugh together. That worked because we both thought the same things were funny.
And here’s another favorite photo of us. It was during the pandemic and my sister and I took her on a shopping spree for her birthday. Look how her eyes are smiling!
And this was the day my husband took us to Peddler’s Village in Pennsylvania. That’s my mom’s beloved dog, Fawn. She got Fawn after my grandmother died in 1995. Fawn lived 15 years. They were constant companions.
And in these last photos, to the left, Mommy with me as a baby; and to the right, my mother with me (long hair) and my sister when we were flower girls in my cousin Sandy’s wedding.
My mom went from the hot mom that everyone had a crush on, to a sweet old lady who loved sitting outside and feeding the squirrels. Always loving Elvis (and Tom Jones, and Barbra Streisand in her earlier years), a great sense of humor, and the biggest laugh.
She’s very missed, today and everyday. But I often see signs, she’s around for sure!
They were fantastic!! We actually moved to the balcony so I could dance without disturbing anyone because the audience was made up of mostly seniors. But, wow, the vocals, the music, the choreographed dancing in synch — just beautiful and romantic.
Earlier in the evening I ran into one of my clients!! I helped Beth write and edit her personal memoir. It’s being traditionally published later this year by Higher Ground in limited edition for her friends and family only. It won’t be available on Amazon or in Barnes & Noble stores.
If that’s something you may want to consider for yourself, you can email me at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com
Maryanne and client, Beth
This is one of those weeks I’m running on coffee and just being hyped up. I’ve been extremely busy with career and socially (which is often because of my career, getting comp tickets).
I’m covering two more stories this weekend and we’re going to the theatre tonight and tomorrow.
Cover photo by Christina Hughes; Model: Pleasant Gehman
On National Packaging Design Day, I wanted to once again share the cover of my latest book, The Gypsy Smiled. This is the 2nd printing, traditionally published by Higher Ground.
I hired Pleasant Gehman to get permission to use her photo because she had the perfect look I wanted to represent the wonderful supporting character, Gypsy, who advises main character, Lucretia, that she needs to slow down.
It’s the late 1980s and Lucretia is a young gothic singer, living alone and burning the candle at both ends. She’s working two jobs while trying to pursue a career in music. She’s working so hard, but why isn’t anything happening? Only Gypsy knows!
If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and GO see “Hair” at the Cranford Dramatic Club Theatre, it was nothing short of phenomenal!
Do note, were not allowed to film or take photos. Nevertheless, this play will long be in the memory chip in my brain! I can’t express how much I loved it!
I’m definitely going again. It’s only on for a few weeks.
Sammy was the first shelter cat I ever adopted. All my other cats came to in a natural way.
My first, Billy Cat, was given to me as a kitten, from my uncle in 1994. He lived to 19.
Derick was given to me by a friend in 1996. Her cat had kittens and Derick was my second choice. My first pick was an orange/white kitten that my friend’s niece claimed. So I said, “I’ll take the gray one.” My friend said that was a good choice because he did funny things. And for the next 19 years, he continued to do funny things!
Two months after Derick went over the Rainbow Bridge, Nicholas came trotting into our lives. He was a stay that no one claimed. He kept coming to our front yard. We took him to the vet to see if his was chipped, or if anyone lost a cat. Our neighbor said he’d been going in people’s yards for some time. They trapped and neutered him but couldn’t keep him because they already had too many pets. So we kept him and gave him a happy home. Nicholas is still with us.
A few years later, now the summer of 2018, a feral we named Bennie was lurking in our backyard. He started trusting us and letting us pet him. We fed him, but he honestly preferred pets over food! We had to pet him as he ate, or he’d look up at us as if to say, “Pet me.”
Bennie was a glorious long-haired ginger. Absolutely beautiful. Sadly he had brain cancer and was only with us a few months.
We still had our sweet Nicholas.
By now, it was spring, 2019, and a local animal shelter was having a Pop-Up shop for Mother’s Day. I went, hoping to find something for my mom, but the gifts weren’t all that. Since I made the trip, I asked one of the volunteers if I could look at cats. Not necessarily to make a purchase, just to look.
I spent hours looking at all the sheltered kitties. Then Sammy (then his name was Simba but we changed it) walked right up to me as if we were old friends or something. He had purr-sonality!
I held him a few times. He was just very lovable. On a whim I brought him home. My husband fell in love with him. Sammy was like a stuffed Teddy Bear, a perfect cuddly kitty. A little lover!
When we took in Happy, a feral kitten who was abandoned by his mother and father cats during the pandemic, Sammy looked over Happy like a big brother.
Sammy also had a modeling opportunity for Max & Molly cat collars! He modeled about 70 cat collars for the Only an Ocean website. He was absolutely perfect modeling the collars. And he’s very photogenic.
With the money he earned, we got him treats and made a donation to a local pet shelter.
I would love to see more people adopt sheltered pets, as there are so many looking for homes.
Coincidentally, my article on Shake A Paw Rescue ran today! Enjoy the article and do consider adopting a cat or dog!
As a journalist, I’m usually covering back-to-back events most of the weekend. Monday rolls around, and that’s often my weekend! Today my husband and I took a trip down to the Jersey shore. Just walking barefoot on the beach — the best foot massage — was awesome.
It was so romantic spending the day with Dennis.
There are quite a few vegan restaurants down the shore, but the area we were in, they were all closed. But then we scored big on a restaurant that had vegan options. It was called Hatch44, in Bradley Beach.
I had a wonderful chickpea omelet filled with vegetables, plantains, and rye bread.
The day was just perfect, and I love having that beach smell on you. I used sunscreen but I still got some color. I feel very healthy and happy.
Earlier in the day, my favorite freeform radio station played two cool, 1970s AM Gold hits, back to back; “Heartbeat It’s a Love Beat,” by The DeFranco Family; and “Mama’s Pearl” by The Jackson 5. I was ecstatic! Of course those tunes are in my own collection, but it’s extra special when in comes on the radio.
THEN, in other great music news, one of my favorite live bands, Redd Kross, is coming to New Jersey this summer — JULY 25! I’m ecstatic. Tickets go on sale Friday morning and I already blocked out that day on my calendar — don’t do anything, Redd Kross tonight!
Here’s their new tune that they dropped today, and will be on their upcoming album this June.
On National Great Poetry Reading Day, I want to share, once again, my poem “All About Eve” which I read at the All About Eve Festival of the Arts at the West End Arts Center in Long Branch, New Jersey in 2017.
All About Eve
All about Eve?
What about me?
In a superficial society.
Trendy, Fendi,
Keeping up with Beyonce
Spending at your local foods
People are so freakin’ rude
Pushing shop carts into butts
Let their kids do what they want.
Monopolize the conversation
It’s better than a sex sensation
Demean others, even your friends
The main thing is to “win, win, win.”
Do it daily, do it loud
Do it often so you feel proud
Raise your kid the same way
She’s a princess every day
Problems in the world we see
Ignorance, sickness, poverty
Change would be nice, if only …
Yet we still chant, “Me! Me! Me!”
And, you know, it’s nothing new,
Eve was all about “me” too.
Back then it was forbidden fruit,
Now it’s Botox to stay cute.
Charlton Heston, was once the rage, uh-huh
No one cares what Moses claimed; uh-huh
And the ME goes on. And the ME goes on.
On.
On.
On.
On.
Copyright 2017, Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
All rights reserved.
At the West End Arts Festival, 2017, before my reading.
Me as a teen, not letting the bullies get me down!
Hey Gang!! It’s National Tell a Story Day. May I interest you in my personal story? “I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is my journey growing up and being bullied, in both grade school and in high school. It’s a testimony to how I overcame adversity, learned to fight back, and became empowered by punk rock! I also went on to have a rewarding career in journalism and a happy marriage. I wrote this book to possibly inspire young people who are having a hard time. Your school years are not the “end all” and life DOES get better. I look at my old diaries where I wrote “life sucks” and I want to give my younger self a big hug! If you know a teen having a rough time, give her this book, available in Barnes & Noble stores! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-dont-want-to-be-like-you-maryanne-christiano-mistretta/1129498800
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