Let's Do Something New!

OK my favorite dessert in the world is a SMORE. But I decided this year, why wait till I go camping?? I can do this at home…….can’t I???  Well, Press play and see if doing one SMORE thing was a good idea……

Who knew in L.A. there was something as innocent as a 70’s, 80’s sing-along at a BAR! Once a month at the M-bar a bunch of people get together and sing their heart out to the songs we forgot we knew (no need to hand out song sheets, but they still do)  This was a NEW thing I KNEW I would love, and as an added plus my good friend Mark Cade played along to one of the classics…..here’s a hint…..Turn around bright eyes……..

I love coffee, but I found a NEW way to make it even better then it already is.  If you have a friend who never liked coffee, this might just win them over…….and it is soooo easy to do!  Click play and see……

For all those mid-westerners that still can NOT bear to jump on the raw fish sushi bandwagon…. I just made it alot easier. CHOCOLATE SUSHI!  And yes you can try it at HOME! ( or on the set of a commercial as I did)

Chocolate ganache center, surrounded by coconut, with chocolate shavings and toasted coconut on the outside covered in a dribble of carmel for the “sauce”. Here is a web address for more Choc. sushi ideas and if you would like to order some for a special event! http://www.chocolatesushi.com/whatIs.html Short, but VERY sweet!  Now, to find chocolate sake!!

Well, I never had any idea about what a Joshua Tree was before my birthday. My sister booked a few days for my birthday in a place called Joshua Tree. This was a new thing for me to actually see what a Joshua Tree was all about and to take a hike in the actual “Joshua Tree Park” itself. I am so grateful that I got a chance to visit one of the most serene and beautiful places I have ever been to with some of my very best friends. I hope you can get a chance to experience it as well!. Here is just a glimpse of the Joshua Tree experience……

Since I have an addiction to ice blended vanilla soy drinks at Coffee Bean, I looked in the back seat of my car and see that it has turned into a dumpster for plastic. Normally I would just feel guilty and move on, knowing the thought of giving up my addiction to these ice blended drinks was NOT an option. But no longer!  I must DO SOMETHING NEW and take ACTION!  I decided to call Coffee Bean head offices and ask them if they would start using recyclables for their cups, so I am no longer a part of being a big hazard to the environment.

Watch and see the many attempts it takes to try to make a change, and then watch and you might be surprised at what I discover when I  finally get COFFEE BEAN HEADQUARTERS on the phone……

I realized that an indoor pool has amazing acoustics. Great place to sing. I also discovered with “google lyrics” on my i-phone I can sing any song I want and know all the words!  So I combined the 2 new things and invited my talented friends David Sampson to play guitar and Mark Cade to play base, and then my 2 best girlfriends and my parents to join the sing-along!!!

I promise this video can not help put a smile on your face. Especially the mini-solo my lovely father gives. Oh and my friend Angela who is holding the camera singing harmony between giggles…. I truly believe that if American Idol ever raises there age range we are SO IN!!!

So turn up the speakers and hit play!   enjoy

Well, I have to say for my 40th I did get many gifts….mostly from people who spent so much time and energy putting something special together for my special day. My Brother Ron was one of them. Many of the home made videos I received were of pictures of good times and memories past. My brother on the other hand, thought that this might be a good time to rethink what NEW things I could do now that I am 40. I could not help but share these brilliant ideas, and add it as a NEW THING for this day. I DO plan on trying some of these, and I hope you enjoy this short 3 minute video as much as I did Not to mention the acting skills of his colleages far surpassed anything I have ever attempted to do here in Hollywood.

Here is to NEW THINGSs my older brother suggests I do, now that I am in my 5th (as my OTHER brother John corrected me) decade

Okay so maybe this is a lame one, but turning 40 is truly a NEW thing for me to do. Not to mention scary…..now I am actually looking at things differently….like…ummm… well, maybe not, but I get to at least say “Listen here you, at 39 I would– but at 40 I do not have to…….” you fill in the blank.  I even used this excuse to not blog every day on my fab. birthday trip…however, I still did something new everyday, and now I have to double up my posts to keep up with my commitment of doing one new thing a day for each day of 2010. So bear with me here. There are some good ones, some fun ones, some goofy ones, and some easy ones….but they are ALL new to me and I HOPE you try at least some of them. Anyway, I spent my birthday week in Palm Springs and then Joshua Tree with some of my favorite people in the world. I was constantly surrounded by my best friends the whole trip. The sun shined on me while I was away (literally and figuratively) and I booked 2 big jobs–one was a commercial (for CLEAR internet) and another one was a HUGE infomercial working with BILL PHILLIPS who wrote the best seller “BODY FOR LIFE”.   I actually got that call on my birthday, like the acting gods for once took pity on a 40 year old “between gigs” actor. I am now officially working, or at least soon getting PAID for it. The name of the book Bill Phillips is promoting (with the help of his FABULOUS co-host ) is called “Transformation“…and entering 40 I think it is a VERY appropriate name.  Actually combine the 2 commercials and the message might be that I have earned a CLEAR TRANSFORMATION. SO, let’s raise our glass to doing NEW THINGS after 40…I hope you keep joining me for the ride. It will be a transformation I promise. And if it isn’t I can Probably get you a discount on Bill Phillips new book and you can take notes

Well, the great thing about being with friends for my birthday week is that there are always NEW things popping up that people bring to the party. My good friend Seamus is a pro at betting on horses. I never have done this, especially had no idea one could do this and watch the race LIVE ON LINE right after placing the bet!

Did we win??  My best friend Shawna picked the horse “spirit seeker”  press play to see if seeking the spirit took number one!!!

The fun thing about doing NEW things everyday is that people volunteer teaching me NEW things, and this one could actually earn me some MONEY!!  This is a new pool trick…… actually the ONLY pool trick I ever learned!

SOOOO excited that I learned a pool trick!!! I don’t even know why!!!

This one is a shorty but a GOODY—and I think anyone can do it!

I decided to stop just feeling bad for people on the other side of the world, and actially DO SOMETHING about it. I signed up for women for women international and become a sponsor to help a war victim who needs support, and my 27 dollars a month could change her world. Here is the link if you want to help. WOMANFORWOMANINTERNATIONAL.ORG

I just got the packet today that tells me all about her, and this is my first attempt to DO SOMETHING NEW and write to her and start our communication.It’s really cool. I recommend it. Once you can figure out what to say

There is a place in L.A. called ECHOPLEX in Silverlake and on the 3rd Thursday of every month they have ROLLER DERBY DISCO—-that would mean rollerskating, well, in a bar. They transform the regular scene here to a complete roller rink, and even rent skates for 5 bucks. My only advice is ….DON’T drink and skate. They do not go well together. If you want the link and you DARE to do it yourself here it is….info right here at YELP ECHOPLEX INFO.

My DO SOMETHING NEW was to get myself off the couch on a rainy L.A. night, convince some friends to do this NEW thing with me, and ….ALLLLLLLLLL SKATE!!!!!!!  Press play to see the action…..

This was something I had never seen before, and am very surprised I have not done an infomercial for it yet. It is a mat for your back that is similar to acupressure, or acupuncture.

it is supposed to help your aching back, or anyone with back problems. Since I am on a mission to try new things, I gave it a try. See for yourself  what you think. Here was my experience.

Oh yeah, and here is the link, in case you want to actually buy one and try it out at home  SHAKTI  MAT.

This was a suggestion from one of my readers……to try and eat and drink ONLY GREEN for one day. I start with a GREEN shake that has more veggys then I have had in my lifetime.

And then the challenge was to continue to ONLY eat and drink GREEN for the rest of the day.  So here is the video of my GREEN DAY. I feel so healthy now.