Inspired Archive

My “Christian Women in Media” Event Keynote Speech!

– November 12, 2011Posted in: Christ-inspired, Inspired, Jeanette-isms

Last Thursday, I spoke at a the New York Christian Women In Media Dinner. Aaron Horton and Johanna sang an incredible song that brought me to tears and then before I knew it, I was asked to come up for my speech. Still dabbing my eyes, I went into my speech and wasn’t sure how well my message got across, but received loads of compliments afterward and I just wanted to touch more people with a recording and transcript of it since it seems to have helped so many people. Enjoy!

DownloadJeanette Eng Keynote Speech!

Hi, I’m Jeanette Eng and I’m honored to be here tonight, to share with my fellow Christian Women in Media. Now, I had this whole speech written out, recorded in Garage Band, converted into mp3 format, and playing in my ipod while I ran, hoping that I could subconsciously program it into my brain. Hey I’m Chinese and a stickler, what can I say?! But that all went out the window last night when I was at a power women event hosted by Sukyana from Channel 11. She hosted with such flair and humor and ease…all without notes! So, I said, out with these notes, I’m gonna do the same! And then I came to my senses!

So, let’s get started. I know that for me, it helps me “get” people when I get their story, so to say, so I’ll give you the standard introduction.

I’m a commercial actress and model and spin instructor, working in NY and living in NJ. I’m 32 years old. I started as a Journalism major at Rutgers University and my first job out of college was writing for a local paper. That was the end of my print career. I decided TV would be much more exciting and then just followed the bright lights. To make a windy story short, church reporter led miraculously to red carpet hosting, which led to commercial acting and modeling, which I have been living off of for 4 years…which in this industry, is like tenure!

Ok, that’s it for my Facebook profile. Now, let’s get into the meatloaf of the night, shall we?!

I have been a Christian for most of my life but it is only recently that I have begun to truly mature in my faith and as God would have it, also hitting my stride professionally and personally.

As I mentioned, I was at an event last night that celebrated Power Women. Women in media were present, but these women represented excellence in all fields, from entertainment to film making to business, from Iman to Sade Baderwinwa to Lisa Ling. I was the reporter assigned the task of asking these women “how do you summon your power,” a clever wordplay on the theme of power women. And I received all sorts of answers, from my family to my children to doing a job that I love, but I never heard doing it for God. And that’s my vision…that one day, I”ll be interviewing one of you and that you will be the one to give me that soundbyte.

But I did get some great tips from these women and I don’t think it’s a coincidence, but a God-incident, that I’m experiencing two female power themed events back to back. So in that spirit, I’d like to share 3 stories about what I believe helps us tap into our power source, our Lord, Jesus Christ, to reach our God-appointed power potential.

This first story is about
Following the Burden in Your Heart.
God has to speak to us somehow, am I right? And one of the ways, I truly believe, is through what many people will call gut feelings, nudges. I believe that if you have a God inspired moment like this and you receive affirmation of it and it simultaneously terrifies you and gives you peace, you need to pay attention to it. L
Case in point, I took a commercial acting class and was exposed to a population of improv’ers and comedians that I really took to. At one point in the night, I realized, sadly, that I was probably never going to see many of these people again. And the Christian in me was heartbroken, wanting to connect with these people beyond this one evening of performance and drinks and laughs. But it just wasn’t realistic for me to invite them all to church, or for me to go to all their shows, or for all of us to somehow become coffee grabbing buddies. And so, my heart was burdened.
At the same time, I realized that I was being charged up the “you know what” for this commercial acting class that, in my opinion, did not command such a price tag. I realized that I could mimic this formula of theirs and probably help a lot of people out by doing it for free. And the wheels started spinning.
Well, within a few months, we held our first Actors In Christ meeting, affectionately referring to it as Actors InC w/ a capitol C, for Christ . And fast forward one year, we just celebrated our one year anniversary of meeting every Monday. We have a consistent turnout of 20-30 actors. We consider ourselves equal parts acting workshop and missional outreach. We have brought actors to church and to God and helped them nail auditions and land roles. And one of the actors from that original acting class, whom I felt burdened for, is now one of our leaders.

As Christians, we often have this dilemma. We exist day in and day out, in our unique industries and various circles of friends and acquaintances. How much of God do you share with these people and do you feel a burden in your heart to do so? If that’s the case, my plea to you is to follow that burden to a solution that enables you to bridge that gap. Someone in our church works in a financial firm where he began sending daily inspirational verses to his co-workers…now, there are several hundred Wall Street men and women on this mailing list. And I can just imagine how much life has changed for him, now known as a Christian amongst his peers.

So, once again, follow the burden in your heart…it’s from God for a reason and to you and it’s for a reason.

This second story is about:
Biting off more than you can swallow and trusting that God will help you chew.
Some of the best things that have happened in my life have been the things that were the most daunting, the most unplanned, the times that God had to help me chew. Francis Chan wrote in his book, “Forgotten God,” “I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for Him to come through. That if He doesn’t come through, I am screwed.” And as a pastor, he acknowledges that he probably shouldn’t use that word, but he doesn’t feel that any other word expresses his feelings as well! And he goes on to challenge us to live a life that screams, “This could have only been made possible by the hand of God!” Like Gideon’s army, we want people to look at our lives and know that this was some sort of miracle, this was not simply of our own skill and network, but something infinitely and mysteriously greater. And, in order to do that, we have to step out on faith, step out on those burdens, and trust that God will meet us when we need Him. He wants us to set the bar so high, think so big, that it would be impossible on our own. How exciting is that call to action? To think big, and then think even bigger on top of that? We don’t do that enough!

I was guilty of it when I embarked on my first missions trip last summer. It took me over a decade to do my first missions trip because I was “ye of little faith.” I looked to my bank account, my lack of experience, my time constraints…and they all told me, you’re in no position to go on a missions trip! Yet, when I went for it, God raised the $3,500 that I didn’t have, gave me the missional mindset, and made it all not only possible, but a life-changing trip for me. It was this missions trip that planted the seed for Actors InC.

But I committed the same crime just months later, when just a week shy of the launch of Actors InC, I tried to delay it. I wanted to prepare more, become more qualified to lead an actor workshop, get rid of this voice in my head that kept taunting me, “who do you think you are, leading an acting workshop, you’re still taking them!” But God spoke through one of my brothers, who would not allow me to delay the launch…he said, “God will make it happen.” And so I took a big ole bite!
This is nothing new. We’ve all heard
“It’s easier for God to re-steer an object in motion than to move a parked object.”
“God, I’ll take care of the quantity and you take care of the quality.”
Start your vision and the provision will come.
So ladies, this is one area in which I denounce portion control! Go and start biting away at the God’s plan for you!

This third story is about:
Being excellent in what you do and being honest about your faith.
All things stem from this and go back to this. Tim Tebow is an example. Oprah can be cited as an example. Jeannie Mai is an example. Megan Alexander is an example. And we should all hope to be household names one day…names of people excellent in their craft who give all the glory to God. It’s started to happen to me lately, where people are seeking advice from me and time with me, and are simply marveling at “how I do it.” And these are my golden opportunities. I couldn’t ask for a better platform on which to reveal that I thank God for it, that I prayed over it, and won’t you come to church with me?
If you live this way, “being excellent in what you do, and being honest, and I mean, raw honesty, about your faith,” I can assure you that you will be challenged…there’s no way to live this way and not be.

And cue, my 3rd story. I was recently on a shoot for Shape Magazine. On this shoot, I had to do 100 exercises over the course of 3 days! And I executed those exercises with excellence, holding poses for much longer than is recommended! And never once did I complain or display diva-behavior. In short, I displayed excellence in performance, attitude, etc. And when the shoot wrapped on day 3, I was so joyful that I again felt this burden to say a prayer with these people who had been my family for the past 72 hours. And so I asked. I asked these people, whose faith was unknown to me, to “just humor me and join me in a quick prayer of gratitude, before we leave?” And so, there we stood in the studio, heads bowed and hands joined, as I thanked God for a successful shoot and prayed over each person’s individual life. It was scary for me, but to have done anything less than that would have been a lie. Honesty is still the best policy and so, if you are honest about your faith, you will talk about church when asked what you did this weekend, you will say grace even at a business lunch, and you will be the same woman in church as in the world.

And excellence for God is one of the best motivators! There are times when I’m swimming and literally thinking to myself, this is for God because this exercise is going to make me more excellent. Whether I’m running a race, getting dressed, exercising, auditioning, or any of the multitude of tasks that we have to complete in this life, doing it for myself doesn’t always cut it, and when I switch to doing it for God, suddenly, the drive is back. Doing it for God is certainly a reason to get up in the morning!

And honestly, the success, accolades, and money will come. Last night, I was in a room full of CEO’s, Bestselling authors, the president of Jenny Craig, all clad in glittering gowns and smelling just lovely. And people wanted to know how these women do it. And there is truth in the clichés because these women testified t it. The soundbytes I collected included, “Do what it is you’re passionate about and the money will follow.” Lisa Ling really drove this point home when she pointed out that she doesn’t even know how much money she has, she just does what she loves. And I believe her and it’s comforting to see living proof that that works. Other sentiments were, “Stay true to yourself,” “mentor and inspire others…go outside of yourself to affect the world.” These women were in a position of influence and were given a platform on which to share whatever it is they wanted. When Iman got up, she went into a whole schpiel about her charity, attempting to connect with us in 5 minutes about the women she is trying to save in the Congo. It was a bit much, like a mini-lecture, but I applaud her efforts. And my prayer is that one day, one of us is up there, just as passionately ignorant of our time restriction, using those 5 minutes to glorify God.

So at the end of the night, I was kicking myself for not inviting Lisa Ling, Sukyana, and Robert Dinero’s wife here…sorry Suellen! And that made me realize how unique we are. Because in a room full of media women, I didn’t experience one who was clearly a believer. We are a demographic that represents a slice of an already small slice! So, it’s vital that we all play a role in supporting CWIM, not only returning, but returning with someone new every time. As we grow in excellence and gain more clout in our respective fields, it becomes even more important to bring that back to CWIM and God will continue to bless us…abundantly, accordingly, and powerfully.

Thank you!

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Tags: Jeanette Eng, NY Moves Magazine

Think Different.

Jeanette

– October 8, 2011Posted in: Inspired, The Latest

Apple.com homepage: Tribute to Steve Jobs

I found out that Steve Jobs died on Wednesday, 10/5/11, when a stranger on the M23 gave me the newsflash off his iPhone. It didn’t really hit me, however, until l decided to scour CNN.com the next day and stopped at the Fifth Ave Apple Store today, four days later. Upon scouring CNN, I re-watched Job’s commencement speech at Stanford University’s graduation. Stunning. Please watch it here.

It is from this speech that many of his famous quotes were extracted that wallpapered Facebook upon his death:

“You’ve got to find what you love.”

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle…keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

“…I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose…There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

“And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

“Stay hungry. Stay foolish”

These are just some of his excerpts, but I could easily paste the entire transcript here and not feel it to be redundant. This man is easily the Einstein/Edison/Etc of our day. Everybody…Every..Body..uses Macs, ipods, iphones, ipads…all of it. These products dramatically affected our lives. But it’s not just that. Job’s story is one of triumph o’er adversity and following one’s dreams if I’ve ever heard one. He is a life story of exceptions to the rule: dropping out of college; inventing Apple out of his garage; being fired from Apple, his own company, his own invention!; revolutionizing music players, revolutionizing phones, pressing on through his bout with pancreatic cancer…this man is the living example of the Japanese proverb: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

From an article in the Daily News on Friday, 10/7:
“He was Steve Jobs and he was what we still want America to be, a guy who came out of a garage in Los Altos, Calif., with his buddy Steve Wozniak and his big ideas and changed the world so much they talk about him with Einstein and Edison and Henry Ford. He was Apple Inc., and iPods and iPads, and iTunes and Pixar Animation and phones that are like home entertainment centers, the guy who did the most to take the world and put it in the palm of your hand – or the tip of your fingers. And Jobs said something along the way that was as smart as any gadget that came out of his imagination, something that spoke to all the dreamers like him: ‘it’s not the consumers’ job to know what they want.’ He changed the world and he touched the world”

I was at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store today and it was really incredible to read the personal messages that people wrote to this guy: messages on post-it notes, messages on apples, messages in all languages, messages from all corners of the world, messages on iPad boxes, heartfelt notes of thanks and remembrance. People held up their iPads with the video of a candle flickering. Flowers graced the foot of the memorial. Artlcles of the fateful day served as a timestamp amongst the memorabilia. There was a reverence for this man in front of the Apple store this morning and “iAdmire Steve Jobs.” Thank you.

Let me tell you the “Sierra Trading Post” Story.

Jeanette

– September 29, 2011Posted in: Inspired, Jeanette-isms, The Latest

This is one that keynote speeches are made from ya’ll, so kick back and prepare to be inspired! So, it’s all self-explanatory in the screen shot here, but I’ll just get you up to speed before you dive in. I went to the Himalayas in August to trek and volunteer at a school. I needed a TON of gear…everything from UV-protecting, sweat-wicking, insect-repelling shirts to energy bars. I came back with some items to return, both in-store and online. One of the sites that I purchased from was Sierra Trading Post. I did not know it at the time, but during my trip, learned that Sierra Trading Post is actually a Christian company! A Christian outdoor/camping gear online retailer?! How does that work, exactly? I was intrigued, impressed, and interested. This little nugget of information made its was back to me while I was chatting w/ customer support about their returns process, which, true to form, is extremely gracious! So, please read below to see how God turned a typical customer support call into a REAL conversation…I think you’ll find it amusing!

My chat window w/ Sierra Trading Post Customer Support

So, I wasn’t able to capture the next few lines of conversation, during which I explain the method behind my madness, that I have a similar mission here in NY w/ Actors InC. The rep then offered to “forward my comments onto his supervisor for further review” (doncha just love their professionalism!) and I played along, exclaiming, “Sure, connect me with the owner!”

Well, be careful what you wish for! Yesterday (about a week later,) I received an e-mail from the founder/owner of Sierra Trading Post. Here are some excerpts from Mr. Keith Richardson!

“Dear Jeanette: Thank you for the nice compliments you shared with Sierra Trading Post. It means a lot to me when a customer takes the time to let us know that they appreciate our company. I really appreciate it when a fellow believer writes to me. If you haven’t done so, I invite you to check out the Founder’s story. It gives the rationale behind my business philosophy…Best regards, Keith Richardson, President, Sierra Trading Post”

I was stunned. A simple customer service chat had led to this. I think that this story speaks for itself because I can’t even begin to break it down. Be bold. Take chances. Speak your mind and do so respectfully. Be proud of your faith and let it speckle your conversations as you so feel called to. Think big because God is supernatural, meaning he goes beyond what our natural minds might conceive. ie: I may be thinking “this is a fun customer service chat conversation.” God may be thinking, “I’m going to have Jeanette and Keith meet each other.” This is the type of story that you cannot deny God is a part of.

And, so, as Francis Chan talks about in his book, Forgotten God, take chances! Chan says, “I love to put myself in situations in which I know that without God, I’ll be screwed.“ He acknowledges that such may be strong language for a pastor, but that best expresses how he feels! And do you know why he loves this? Because he wants to be able to say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God was a part of that situation. He wants his life to be a time line chock full of accounts in which God swooped in and worked miracles, moved mountains, and created breakthroughs.

A life full of amazing stories that can only be justified by the hand of God? I want that too. Don’t you?! Go get it!

Tags: God, inspiration

“Our Idiot Brother”…A Pretty Smart Movie.

Jeanette

– September 18, 2011Posted in: Inspired, The Latest

Paul Rudd plays a character who chooses to only see the best in people, situations, and life in general. Rudd’s character is through and through, trusting, optimistic, and innocent. He lives with a childlike joy and untainted appreciation for life. He doesn’t lie his way out of sticky situations, fudge the facts for personal gain, take advantage of people, or partake in anything that isn’t “right.” And while this may not immediately strike you as radical, his character is ostracized by his family and even jailed as a direct result of his honesty. And thus earns him his title as the family “idiot.”

Our Idiot Brother

His family, I believe, represents us, the average human being. And when portrayed against the backdrop of Rudd’s purity, their crooked ways become glaringly apparent. Now, they aren’t criminals or anything…just people willing to compromise their values to make room for other priorities…something that has come to be accepted in today’s society. Rudd’s sister exploited an interview subject in order to produce a “hot” story; his other sister had a one-night affair; an officer conned him into selling him weed, etc, etc. In each scenario, the status quo behavior side-by-side with the moral response. Over and over again, Rudd took the noble route, the road less traveled, more uncomfortable, and according to everyone else, “idiotic.” I appreciated the reminder that this movie attempted to express.

I challenge you to imagine a typical day of yours and how many times you may mask your true feelings, lie, cheat, or even think bad thoughts. I understand that taking the high road is often uncomfortable, but I also believe that you benefit in the long run and/or are more at peace with yourself for doing so. And the movie portrays the same. Rudd’s family was on the path to misery and it was only due to his intervention that their worlds were rocked in the right direction and they found true peace in honesty.

Honesty is the best policy…not idiotic at all!

Why I love Oprah

Jeanette

– May 25, 2011Posted in: Inspired, The Latest

Today was Oprah’s farewell show. She is an amazing orator. For an entire hour, she simply spoke to everyone, squeezing as much inspiration as she could into even her final hour. Here are some of the very beautiful pieces of wisdom that she shared.

“Your real job in life is to figure out [what your calling is] and get about the business of doing it.”
Oprah knows that her calling was to do what she is doing and that’s why she never missed a day in 25 years. And similarly, she said that we saw people “being exactly where they were supposed to be, doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing” over and over again on the show. Everyone from ordinary guests to Celine Dion to Tina Turner had heeded their personal callings. And her petition to us is to use our power to enlist our calling. She says that everyone has a platform, a circle of influence…essentially their own talk show. Everyone has a calling. And she acknowledges that not everyone gets paid for it and that everyone’s circumstances are different, but that nevertheless, the power is the same. “Don’t waste any more time. Embrace the life that is calling you and use your life to serve the world.”

“You are responsible for your own life…you are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself and you’re responsible for the energy that you bring to others.” We are all beaming waves of energy at all times. Newton’s 3rd law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. All the energy you spend trying to hurt someone else is going to turn around and slap you. So do unto others as you want done unto you. And love works the same way. You are responsible for your life and when you get that everything changes. Don’t wait for someone to fix you, complete you, etc…

“Know that you are worthy of being happy.” We often block our own blessings because we don’t feel worthy…whether that manifests itself in not feeling pretty, smart, or whatever enough…it’s not true. You are worthy simply because you were born. It is your inherent birthright. All 30,000 people that Oprah has spoken to on her show share one common desire: to be validated. They want to know, “Do you see me. Do you hear me? Does what I say matter?” To validate them is a great gift and is something that we can all extend to our own circles. See, hear, and validate those in your circle.

“Nothing but the hand of God has made this possible for me” Oprah clarifies that she believes in God. Which God? Well, she says, “The Alpha and the Omega, the Source, the Force…the one and only G-O-D.” None of us is alone. Grace is working in her life at every single turn and she says that it’s in our lives too. And it’s ours for the asking. She says, “know the voice of God.” She waits and listens for the guidance that is greater than her meager mind. God is love and life and your life is always speaking to you. And it sounds like whispers. So she asks us, “What are the whispers in your life right now? What is whispering to you? And will you answer? Your life [God] is speaking to you. What is it saying?”

“The opportunity to have done this work…is one of the greatest honors any human being could have.” I always wanted to be the Asian Oprah. And watching this has reminded me of that. She is one amazing woman. And she is a woman of God. She lives her life as a light and salt unto the Earth. She has people hanging on her every word, admiring, learning, and loving her. And at the core of it, she lets it be known that she owes it all to God. Her last words: “To God be the Glory.”

Email Oprah: oprah@oprah.com

The Amazing NY Race…so much more than a scavenger hunt…

Jeanette

– May 25, 2011Posted in: Inspired, The Latest

…it’s a test of friendship, patience, respect, teamwork, deductive reasoning, problem solving, discernment, persuasive abilities, creativity, boldness, recklessness, and competitiveness. For 6 hours on Sunday, my friend and I were put to these tests and with the help of a team of loyal friends, a cousin, and a boyfriend, crashed through the finish line in third place.
We lost only to a team who had a car at their disposal and another team who was almost intolerably spirited.
The mission: To scour all 5 boroughs of New York searching for landmarks [Each borough contained 3] in front of which we were to pose for a photo.
The timeframe: Sunday, 5/22: 11:30am-6:30pm
The reward: bragging rights and $200 each. (For the record, when we first signed up, the prize was predicted to be $1,000…each!)
The result?
Well, Eunice and I met everyone at the assigned meeting location, Ozzie’s Coffeeshop in Park Slope, Brooklyn, at 11am. We were greeted w/ our first challenge, to pass M&M’s to each other via straws, using only our breaths as suction. Creative? yes! Easy? No! We were frustrated as we dropped a few, ran out of time just as we were getting into a rhythm, and had a fellow competitor watching us like a hawk the entire time! We passed a total of 4 M&M’s to each other in one minute…a decent performance. Following was a brief welcome, during which we learned that we (the Queens of the Concrete Jungle) would be competing against Men in Black III (3 black guys!), The Flying Pigs, I Love New Dorks, If Charlie Sheen were on our team, we would win (they were wearing “Charlie Sheen shirts!”), The Three Ninjas, & several others. Then, we received our packets (20 pages of clues and instructions) just in time to flip them over as the clock started at precisely 11:30am!

Our game plan went a little something like this: sit down and plan, plan, plan…Get addresses, train stops, transfers, and create a route that would efficiently move us through the 5 boroughs, landing us back in Brooklyn with 3 clues in each of the 5 boroughs completed! In addition, we had 2 large items and about 20 small items at our disposal to offer us more points.

Conflict: Inevitably, there were differing opinions as to how things should be tackled. One of us wanted to incorporate all of the small items (a picture with a kebab vendor, a picture in front of the Wall Street bull, a picture in front of the Staten Island hospital) worth 5 points each, while the other one of us wanted to focus on the big ticket items (a picture in front of the Beekman Theatre, the Chrysler Building, Cleopatra’s Needle), worth 15 points each with an added bonus of 20 points upon the completion of the 3 items per borough. Deciding which clues to tackle and in what order was incontrovertibly our chronic point of contention. Interestingly, however, there was never a question as to what order in which we should tackle the boroughs or the pace we wanted to keep.
The Pace:
Speaking of the “pace we wanted to keep,” it was pretty much “run!” We literally ran from the Brooklyn Museum to Prospect Park, then ran within Prospect Park to Lefferts Garden to take a picture in front of a house there. We ran into the subway stops, out of the subway stops, off the ferry, onto the ferry, inside parks…poor Eunice who hadn’t worked out in three years! The exhaustion began to set in around 4pm as we sat in my cousin’s car on the way to the Unisphere in Flushing Meadow Park. As we lifted our creaky bodies out of the car, we had to will ourselves to get our legs moving again so that we could break into a light job.
Moments:
With stakes high, outlandish tasks, clashing dispositions and time ticking, moments of pure comedy will remain fond memories of this day! Here are some hilarious slices of the day!

I had just bought Eunice’s boyfriend a slice of pizza from one of our photo stops and he wanted at it right away…while he was driving. Normally, this would be perfectly normal behavior, but in such a high-pressure situation, the sight of him leisurely munching on pizza while navigating the car with one hand was clearly unbearable for his no-longer-so-sweet girlfriend! So finally, as he hungrily reached for the bag of garlic knots, she snatched them from his hands and bursted out “You can eat them later when we get out of the car!” He was shocked and hurt. I chuckled silently in the backseat!
Eunice, who hadn’t run in three years, was an amazing sport and never once did I feel she was weighing us down. At one point, huffing and puffing, she called her boyfriend to request the help of him and his car. Her conversation sounded a little something like this: “Chris, puff, puff, can you, puff, puff, meet us in, wheeze, puff, puff, in Coney Island?! puff, puff, puff, puff. Her bag was bouncing off her body, her expression was one of pure strife, and her voice was one of a damsel in distress. I felt terrible but so entertained at the same time!
One possible game-changing clue was one in which we had to create a “New York, New York” kick line with as many strangers as possible, collecting an enticing 2 points per person. Knowing that the Staten Island ferry was in our near future, I knew where we would get it done! With a captive audience, we began approaching people and collected three very eager guys, a group of very enthusiastic ladies, and a handful of other singles and pairs who got caught up in the shuffle. We began kicking and singing and snapping away! I believe we got credit for 20 people in our kickline. That was crazy!
It was about 4pm by the time we reached Queens and jumped in my cousin’s car. We had completed 2 boroughs and wanted 3 more under our belt. 2 hours later and a lot of traffic later, we had to face the reality that we were not even going to complete even Queens. My cousin, shaking his head at our trials, wondered aloud why we didn’t just Photoshop ourselves into everything! It was a genius idea, but Eunice was immediately resistant. I was enticed, and in that final hour, I was willing to do it. It was a battle of the morals as we duked it out in the car, closing in on 30 minutes left. It’s interesting how things change when under pressure.

Finally, at 7:15pm, we were back at Headquarters, High Dive, a bar just down the street from the starting point. We offered up our photos for approval, defended some of our submissions, and sat down for the verdict. The winner (Charlie Sheen team) received just over 500 points, 2nd place (the Flying Pigs) came in with 421, and we (the Queens of the Concrete Jungle) placed third with 408 points. Our faces fell. I really thought that we were going to win. I had already told everyone that I was going to win. I was so optimistic. I was so sure. I was so….downtrodden.

We said our goodbyes, interrogated the winners, thanked the organizers, and set out to find some COMFORT FOOD! Now I know why it’s called comfort food! Boy did I need it and boy did I take it! Pizza and chocolate cake while we debriefed on the day and found ourselves able to laugh at it was a perfect ending. I learned about New York, felt the love of my very helpful friends, and made memories with a good girlfriend. Who doesn’t love that?

Tags: manhattan

the story of the Manhattan Monologue Slam

Jeanette

– May 1, 2011Posted in: Inspired, Jeanette-isms, The Biz, The Greatest

Exactly one month ago, I visited the Manhattan Monologue Slam, an amazing evening of talent and energy and support and free wine! It takes place at Ed Bennett Studios, a space in the West Village that houses everything from Ed Bennett himself to Food Network cooking shows to Esquire Magazine photo shoots to the Manhattan Monologue Slam! I went knowing that there was an opportunity to go “balls to the walls” for 30 seconds, meaning there is a portion of the evening that is open to the audience to perform on stage. And oftentimes, high off of the inspiration of the earlier part of the show, consisting of 3-minute monologues delivered by very talented actors, one finds him/herself toying with the otherwise crazy idea!

And cut to me. There I sat, knowing that I wanted to do it, yet simultaneously terrified. I was the only one in my group seriously contemplating the idea…and so I was in this myself…no Bonnie to my Clyde. I knew that I should do it…every instinct in my body knew that I wanted it and needed it and could and should. So, down my name went, on that list of 30 second warriors! My name was called, I hopped onstage, I delivered my 30 seconds, and was received with silence. “That’s it,” I explained. “Ahhhh…” everyone seemed to say before they applauded me off with a nervous laugh. I was mortified. And then I didn’t care. And then people told me it really wasn’t that bad and admired me for even doing it to begin with. I left with a feeling of satisfaction. Thank you, I said to God, for that dose of courage/irreverence to get me up and the wherewithal to get me off.

Cut to two weeks later. I received an email from the host of the show, Phillip Galinsky. He is a hilarious host, first of all. He had everyone rolling on the floor with his jokes, his dances, his sequined purple button-down, and his glitter showers to the audience. I suddenly had an email from this guy asking for my participation in the first half of the show. What?! The first half? the 3-minute monologues in which actors delivered amazing pieces that drew the entire room in to their disposition of anger or comedy or drama in their world of a welfare office or Southern Baptist Church or NY prison…that’s what you think I can do?! I was floored. I had no idea why let alone how or what.

I opted for my first life line…”phone a friend,” and called my friend whom I consider to be an exceptional actor and whose presence at the monologue slam would enable him to commiserate with me on the gravity of the situation at hand. He was happy for me! He understood my anxiety, but he was happy for me. And so, I consented to being a part of their roster and soon found myself at the Drama Book Store searching for the perfect monologue. It was still surreal, I felt, even as I searched for monologues, rehearsed with my friend, rehearsed with the host, rehearsed for Actors InC, rehearsed for my roommates, studied Italian-accented movies, and just dedicated a large part of myself to this “first” for myself.

Last night, I did it. I had a packed schedule yesterday, thank God, protecting me from my own nervous energy. Before long, it was 5pm and time to get ready. I felt the minutes ticking much too quickly as every piece of jewelry and makeup and detail of my costume was so much more important than ever. And then it was time to arrive on set. Oh, and by the way, every spare moment that I had up until this point was spent rehearsing out loud and to myself…on the train platform, in the subway, on the bus, while walking, at the gym…every where, every time. I couldn’t do it enough. And so, when I found myself with 45 minutes to kill at the monologue slam, what do you think I did? It was almost comical as I sought out private spots to practice to myself until someone would inevitably give me a funny look or interrupt me or walk in on me. And I would usually try to act as if nothing unusual had been happening. I probably fooled no one. ha!

At 7:45, moments before the curtain was scheduled to rise, the Galinsky brothers, bless their heart, came down to hold hands with the 6 of us, calm our nerves, give us basic instructions, and love on us. It was such a beautiful moment. I love those guys for what they do. I think I’m going to write them a thank you note. I can’t wait to work with them again soon. But back to the dark moments before my name was called. I stood by the door, unsure even of how to navigate through the lighting cues! “Do I wait for the lights to go off before I start walking? Then how do I see where I’m walking? Do I walk off in the dark after I perform? Then when do I bow?” I probably asked the stage manager more questions about lights than she had answers for. I read her face and saved her, saying, “Nevermind, let me just pray.” And pray I did…for success, success, success, please!

“And put your hands together for our neeeeexxxttt theeeeespian!,” Phillips booming voice commanded the audience. And to a thunderous welcome, I hopped onstage, awaiting my light. On it went, and on I went. With my best Brooklyn accent, head shakes, and hand gestures, I delivered my monologue straight to the back of the room, eyes locked on the spot that I had designated “Angelo,” and with a control, confidence, and comprehension that won me 103 out of 120 points from the panel of judges! I was happy…so satisfied…and once again, I prayed. I said, “Thank you…for the friends that are out there supporting me, for this undue opportunity, for a sound performance, and for the graciousness of the judges…thank you.”

Then I opened my eyes, grabbed my cup of wine, and was off to sit with my friends and support everyone doing the 30-second monologues! The rest of the evening was fun magnified by the relief so welcome after closing the case on this darn monologue performance! I was happy to clap hard for my friends, [one of whom won!], chat with the judges, take pictures, eat, drink and be merry for the rest of the evening.

And to think it all began with a terrible 30-second monologue. All things are possible. Just do it. Just. Do. It.

Tags: acting

Inspired to Climb the Himalayas “for good”

Jeanette

– April 12, 2011Posted in: Inspired, Jeanette-isms, The Latest

Last year, on a missions trip to Taiwan, I had the pleasure of learning from “the Rascal Professor,” more formally known as Chih-Mou Hseih. He preached to us that “The bigger your world is, the bigger your dreams are” and true to form, has lived a life of exposure to different people and cultures, traveling and climbing mountains buoyed by the motivation to do God’s work. He has been a mountaineer all of his life. But he hasn’t always been a do-er of good. In explanation of his nickname, “rascal,” Professor Hseih painted a picture of a lost childhood riddled with violence, crime, and academic failure. Even then, however, he was influential and clever. He said that as a street kid in Taiwan, he was able to rally gangs to take care of business for him and he somehow lied and cheated his way through much of his academic career before it caught up with him in high school.

wise words from Professor Hseih, translated by Pastor KC

Miraculously, Hseih managed to make his way to America where he put together a life that seemingly had the markings of success: college, a girlfriend, and work at a restaurant. He still had some growing to do, however. In December of 1993, on the heels of struggles with finances, his relationship, and other sorts, Hseih found himself alone in his room with a knife to his wrist ready to take his life. And then he asked Jesus, “save me.” Since then, the former gangster has not uttered one foul word.

just another climb for Professor Hseih

Another challenge for Professor Hseih came in the form of a physical trial. As he was speaking to us in July of 2010, he told us that 4 years ago, he suffered a heart attack that left his heart pumping only 42% of the oxygen that it had formerly pumped. This was the kiss of death for this passionate mountaineer since 1982. The doctor said “don’t even think about” climbing ever again. Over this, Hseih vividly recalls mourning and crying for 3 days. On the 3rd day, he read his Bible. Hseih reminded us that in weakness, there is grace. The following summer, he set a new record for altitude among people with his heart condition as he climbed the 6,189m Island Peak.

The constant possibility that his next day could be his last has spurred Hseih to take on and lead adventures with purpose. He teaches at Taiwan Sport University and each summer, his students organize an overseas adventure trip that somehow meets people’s needs.

2006: An Alaskan adventure trip raised money for an at-risk youth program in Taiwan.
In 2007 & 2009: after climbing in the Himalayas, Hsieh’s students completed several projects for a Sherpa community school.
2008: after conquering the 5,895-m Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, his class built restrooms for a nearby school and initiated a community-wide soccer program.

the Rascal Professor Chih-Mou Hseih

Hsieh showed slides of individuals from Africa to Tibet that have broadened his horizons, exposed him to different cultures, and given him his perspective on life. He stressed pointedly at the students in our classroom to broaden their worlds rather than staying on their computers all day. In a humorously memorable analogy, he likened children’s environments today to “strawberry gardens,” as they are told by overprotective “strawberry” parents to stay indoors for fear of getting hurt. He encourages, instead, for young people to grow up in a “cactus environment,” stepping outside of their comfortable comfort zones in order to see different situations and different worlds. With optimism, the once-rascal professor said that it is possible to become a cactus from a strawberry.

As soon as Professor Hseih uttered the invitation to any of us to join in on one of his students’ annual summer adventure missions trips, I knew it was in my agenda for next year. It had my name written all over it and my heart quickened just with the thought of completing such a once-in-a-lifetime feat. And the mission to do good for the people indigenous to that area was even more icing on the cake. I was more than sold which is why I reached out to him a few months ago and am on track to join them in Taipei at the end of July. The expedition is a component of the Association for Experiential Education.

I would be lying if I claimed that I am not nervous about this at all. I have never done anything this physically trying. I have nowhere near the amount of funds that this trip asks. I have no idea who the students on this trip are. I am making this decision based on a tried and true method: a combination of my gut, my faith, and my desire to be a cactus!

Limitless: minus the NZT

Jeanette

– March 23, 2011Posted in: Inspired, Philosophications, The Latest

Limitless is a box office success because it taps into a very achievable fantasy that we all have…to be smart.

The premise of this drug that Bradley Cooper stumbled across was that it allowed one to access all in lieu of the measly 20% of our brain that we actually employ. And so, suddenly, everything was firing, all of his information was at his fingertips, on the tip of his tongue, and poised for recollection. Suddenly, his capacity for learning was beastly, allowing him to consume and retain information on the learning curve of light! So, what emerges on the other side? Bradley Cooper transforms into the best version of man. One who has an effortless mastery of the English language…and mastery of multiple languages, for that matter; one with skills of debate to be able to intelligently and smoothly win over any challenger; one with insightful observations and novel thoughts; one with the charm and wit and confidence to engage in conversation with anyone; one able to recall anything and take in everything; one with laser focus and incredible levels of productivity; simply put, one who is limitless.

We all aspire to be like this. And as convenient as it would be to be able to pop a pill to acquire this, such can only happen in the movies…sorry folks. Yet, this begs the question as to why we don’t do more to acquire this “state-of-being” the natural way. It would be a gross lie to deny that you want that. We all want it.

Upon more careful examination, however, the transformation in Bradley Cooper was simply an infusion of an “I can” attitude, an intolerance for excuses, and a level of productivity across the board in areas of career, health, relationships, and finance. He assessed his dump of an apartment and cleaned it, he finally finished the book he had been working on for years, he started running, he started learning, he started apologizing…he went from bum to brillionaire! Of course, for movie purposes, the protagonist must get greedy, require a loan from a Russian mobster, and get himself mixed in with the wrong crowd, spiraling him to a point of near-suicide! But thankfully, we don’t live a 1:45 minute life under pressure for ratings!

And so what I take away from this movie is the private game of channeling my own natural NZT. There was one very accurate and valuable piece of information in this movie…the talk of synapses and our brain’s properties. What NZT did, on a basic level, was make the most of Bradley Cooper’s brain’s synapses. Likewise, in real life, the more brain synapses you have, the “smarter” you are. How do you build brain synapses? The brain is like any other muscle. Build synapses by learning and maintain current synapses by accessing that knowledge. Remember this: every single time you read, you are building synapses!

We have an incredible capacity and ability for intelligence as human beings. Abraham Lincoln had to teach himself to be a great speaker. Public speaking was actually a fear of his that he had to train himself out of. By sheer hours upon days upon years of reading and practicing and reading the dictionary, Lincoln built himself into a confident speaker. And today, he is the man behind one of the most famous speeches of our history: the Gettysburg Address

Go get your natural NZT on!

Be Brilliant…be a “Brillionaire”

Jeanette

– March 14, 2011Posted in: Christ-inspired, Inspired, The Latest

Simon T. Bailey…what a force…what a presence. His words mobilize crowds towards brilliance…his catchphrases ignite them to live out their messages…his anecdotes are rich with relevance and hope…and his infectious giggle thankfully makes this larger-than-life presence relateable. His challenge to the millions who have heard him is to believe that you are designed for brilliance and live out that truth. It’s something we all know, but can never hear too often. He came to MSNY today and told us once again. Thank you, Simon T. Bailey, for this…

Just because I lose doesn’t make me a loser.
A setback is a setup for a comeback
Ask yourself, “What is my universal assignment?”
The greatest tragedy is not to be dead. The greatest tragedy is to be alive and not know why.
When you tap into your brilliance, everyone that you need will come into your sphere as if summoned to…because where there is vision, there is provision.
To tap into your brilliance, ask yourself these 4 questions:

where have I been?
why am I here?
What can I do?
Where am I going?

Believe that you are a “brillionaire” and “people need to know me.”
Studies have shown that as kids, we work at a genius level, but by the time we grow into adulthood, only 2% of us operate at our genius level…because society tells us we “can’t have that,” or to “put that back,” and tells us about all the impossibilities.
But Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly.”
When you know who you are and Whose you are, you dominate the marketplace.
Ask God to help you dominate the marketplace in your generation to change nations, generations, and systems.
The future is for sale, go buy it!
Be the difference that makes the difference.
When you have the Holy Spirit, he will teach you things that you don’t know about.
You are supposed to be the best of the best
Take on the posture that: “I am a big deal in the kingdom of God” and people will ask you for help. Your life may be the only Bible they are reading.
You can be a public success, but a private failure. Too many are overexposed, but underdeveloped.
When you tap into your universal assignment, God’s brilliance will shine through you.
Become intentional about creating your present
Act local, and think global.
When you solve a problem or provide a solution, people won’t care about the price [as opposed to selling service/product]
The stream from which you drink from is the stream you think from is the stream that you become.
Whoever has your ear has your life.
You may have a 50×60 dream, but be telling someone with an 8×10 frame of mind.
The word “education” comes from the Latin word “educo,” meaning “to draw out”
Someone has to ask you the questions to draw out your brilliance/ to stretch you
You have to know someone who knows more than you
Leaders are readers and readers are leaders.
You cannot lead if you do not read
When the brain is worried, the brain is not creating new neurons. Read The Harvard Business Review or Fast Company. Realize that as you’re reading, your brain is creating new synapses and brain cells.
Books to read:

Positivity
Practically Radical
Synchronicity
The Power of Pull
The Word of God

Create a mastermind group that will entertain the question “What are you going to do to change the world?”
Make a date with destiny:
On 11/11/11, where do you want to be? Where do you want to be socially, spiritually, financially, in education, in wellness, etc?
What difference do you intend to make in life? Some people plan their vacations better than they plan their lives.
[In terms of thoughts] for every 1 negative deposit in your mind, you need 3 positive deposits to negate it
The stream from which you drink from is the stream you think from is the stream that you become.
When Simon was having a tough time in marriage, upon closer examination, he was hanging around guys who were married, but not marriage-minded.
What stream are you drinking from?
Pablo Picasso: A woman asked him to draw her a picture in a cafe and he drew an image of the waiter and when she went to take it, he clarified to her that it would cost her $10,000. “But it only took you 10 minutes,” she said. “No,” he corrected her. “It took me 50 years.”
How you value yourself determines how you speak to yourself determines how you treat yourself.
When you know your value, you unlock your inner Picasso.
Language is the software of the mind
You become programmed by what you are told and what you say.
How you start your day determines the day.
Wake up 15 minutes early: for 5 minutes each, meditate/ pray, read something that inspires you, stretch/ embrace the day
You decide your habits, your habits decide your future.
Upgrade your verbal software
Death and life is in the power of the tongue
Create 2-3 affirmations and say them to yourself each morning
Simon’s is that he aspires to inspire 10% of the 7 billion people on the Earth to reach their brilliance before he expires.
Speak life into your life
Transformation & deliverance are 1 inch from your nose…your mouth
Find a mentor: a person you admire who has developed skills that you want to have.
An open hand is always full: constantly give away to be constantly filled up
A closed fist belongs to someone who lives on the mindset of scarcity

I have highlighted the questions that need to be asked and the actions that need to be taken. I will begin doing these things tomorrow. I have ordered the books [use thriftbooks.com for $4 used copies!] and will begin reading them as soon as they arrive. I will begin following Simon T. Bailey on Twitter. I’m making sure that I’m on the path to brilliance…and you better do it too!