It’s official! It’s 2014 and this is my first blog post! (hear roar in background)

Over the course of time I will share my present and past experiences, trial and tribulations, thoughts and feelings and hopefully I’ll learn more about myself as you do about me. I shoot pretty much from the hip but I do like to have fun.

My wife and I celebrated New Year’s Eve with 18,000 other people by watching Billy Joel and Ben Fold Five. We had such a great time! It was freezing outside and I felt kinda bad for the people freezing in Times Square. I did it once and never again. It’s one of those things you do just once in your life and then that ‘s it. Unless you like freezing in Times Square for up to six hours before the ball drops. And you’re barricaded like cattle between police wooden horses. But officer, I REALLY gotta pee!

Anyway, it was nice to be inside the warm Barclay Center in Brooklyn for an awesome concert. I hadn’t seen Billy Joel in concert since the ’90’s and man, has he aged. But he’s just the same electric, engaging frontman entertainer he’s always been, with his voice, his piano playing, his songs, his music reverberated and pierced everyone that night and the place was filled with energy and enthusiasm and just really good feelings. My favorite song (among many) is “Scenes from and Italian Restaurant”. I used to play it when I was younger. Man, I LOVE his piano playing! I even feel like playing again after watching him.

Billy Joel “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”

 

Ben Folds is someone I actually met when I started acting doing theatre. We performed in the musical “Buddy” about Buddy Holly in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He played a range of different characters playing different instruments like drums, bass, and obviously piano. I played Ritchie Valens and sang La Bamba. There’s a funny story but that’s another blog post. He was kind of quiet but at one point he handed me a demo cassette tape that would later become one of his first albums. Such a talented singer and musician. He had a back issue so every now and then (since both of us had extra time during the show) he asked me to crack his back. I’m sure he’s doing better now. But I really love his music too and I’m really happy for him and all of his successes.

So what did you do for New Year’s Eve and do you have any resolutions or goals for 2014? [polldaddy poll=7689805]