My third installment of Memory Monday, like last week's entry, is something that gave me school-wide fame. It also was the inspiration for the name of this blog. The memory is my sophomore year chorus spring concert solo of the song "The Boy From New York City".

Sophomore year I was in Firebird Chorus, as the older class in the group, as we were always partnered with the Freshman class. I had paid my dues last year not getting any solo's, so when the tryouts for solo's came around for our Christmas concert, I went out for them. There was two, I tried out for two, and got none. Two different freshman girls got both. I was upset, but I shrugged it off, knowing that there would have to be something good in the spring. 

So as the spring came around I was waiting for a solo to appear, and then one day in early February, it arrived. The song was "The Boy From New York City", by the Manhattan Transfer, and it was a bass solo, which worked out great because I was a natural bass. I was nervous to try out, but my friends in my section convinced me to do it. I tried out with two other freshman, who later became my best friends, and beat them out for it. The easy part was over. Now, I had to do it for the concert in front of my parents, but something even more scary than that, was having to do it in front of two thousand five hundred-plus students!

As that day in May came around for the student in-school concert, my heart started to race. As I walked onto the risers and stared at the crowd, and into the camera's, for the people back in their homerooms, I was having heart palpitations! As I stepped towards the microphone, however, I wasn't nervous anymore. Instead, I was excited. I wanted to go get after it. 

The way the solo worked, was after the introduction, "The lead solo will be sung by ----, and the bass solo will be sung by Dylan Sandas," There was a high pitched note crash on the piano. I then had to impersonate a bass guitar, going "Ba, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom," with some of those doom's going higher and lower. At that point the entire chorus started singing the chorus of the song. Then the amazing soloist I was partnered with started singing the main verses of the song. Underneath that, the bass section with me was going "Do do do, do do do," again going up and down. After the second one, I alone said something that still gets talked about to this day. I simply kept saying the word "Yeah", but going really deep into my vocal chords, and quickly down the scale. 

The first time I said it, there were some smirks, but after about the fifth time, the entire auditorium was rolling. After I saw that early on, I started smiling, and having a good time, and embracing it. The entire audience got quiet when I approached the mic, to hear me say it again. Then then burst out in clapping and laughing after I said it again. 

After the song was over, the standing ovation that we received, was the biggest that my chorus director had ever seen, according to him. It went one for about a minute or so. I went out the next night for the parents, and knocked it out again. They recorded that version, and now it always gets played every May in Kellenberg on request. 

This song became my theme song. Everywhere I went in that school for the next two and half years, people would come up to me and tell me to say "Yeah!" again. All of my friends, especially my 'family' in homeroom would always do it to me, or with me, to share a laugh together. When I worked for the Junior Retreat Staff, and the Senior Retreat Staff, the Seventh grade Latin Schoolers, and the Sophomore's, respectively, would come up to me and ask me to do the solo again for them. I loved all of the publicity so much.

Because of this solo, I was asked to join the elite Firebird Swing jazz chorus, without ever trying out. My chorus teacher wanted me to join, so that way, we could do the song in jazz too. I was able to do the song for an audience four more times, over my Junior and Senior years of high school. Twice for kids at an elementary school that Kellenberg helped run, and twice for the Veteran's dinner, held the night before Veteran's Day. 

When I went back for Alumni Day last week, I went around to the classes, and I said hello to all of my old teachers, while in some of my favorite teachers classrooms, they would say do you know who this is, and then they would grab the solo off of my school's media page, and then they would freak out. Some got out of their seats to bow, while others came up to me to shake my hands. (I swear this happened at least twice.) When I went up to chorus, before we sang "Seasons of Love" from Rent, and after they sang through their program for their own Christmas concert, we sang the song again, as the other soloist is now a senior, so it might be the last time we ever sing that song with a full chorus that knows the song. 

I am so thankful for my friends for making me tryout for this solo. It changed my life so much, which is why I named this blog after it. This song changed my life, so I want this blog to do the same, and to change the lives of the people who read it. 

Do you have any memories like this? Would you want memories and to be remembered like this?

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "The only thing better than singing, is more singing." - Ella Fitzgerald
"Singing wrong notes is expected, but singing without passion is unacceptable." - Johann Sebastian Bach

Thanksgiving was yesterday, and because I had to do my Turnstile NYC Thursday segment, I couldn't do a post idea that I felt would mean a lot to me. In this post I want to tell you guys what or who I am thankful for and a little bit about why.

1. My KP Co-Worker's - First on the list is all of my friends at my summer job, I have had at Kennedy Memorial Park. Liz, Chauncey, Arthur, Pitts, Jamil, and Charles, you guys have made the past few summers working in the Village of Hempstead, something to look forward to every day. From the trip to Splish-Splash, to our sing-offs, to raising our 'kids' in the summer camp over the past few years. I wish these guys all the very best, and I know I will be seeing them all, very soon.

2. My Sacred Heart School Family - Without these girls and guys, I maybe wouldn't be the same, whether it be for better or for worse! My Class of 2011 was the second to last in that school, before it closed in 2012. We were the last great class bar none, and we sure did share a lot of laughs. I know I'll be seeing you all soon too, so that makes me extra thankful. I will always remember each and every one of you guys. Also the teachers that I had in that school were still some of my favorites. Especially Mrs. Platt, Mrs. Mott, Mrs. Pugliese, and Mrs. D'Alo.

3. My Kellenberg Classmates - Now without these guys, I know I wouldn't be anywhere close to who I am today. My friends were some of the closest people I've ever met, and it felt good seeing them all on Wednesday, for our little 'reunion'. We have shared a lot of laughs, and a lot of tears. Good luck, and God Bless you all in your future fields and endeavors.

4. My Kellenberg Teachers - My teachers in high school were some of the best around honestly. They made me want to come to school every day to love life. (It also had nothing to do with my four years of perfect attendance, and me having a fear of being lost in the work if I missed a day.) Teachers like Mr. and Mrs. York, Mr. Champney, Mrs. Strauss, Mr. Blanton, Mr. Frank, Mr. Marone, Mr. and Mrs. Dugal, Mr. Finn, Mrs. Harnisch, Mr. Cioffi, Mrs. Perrone, Mr. Sorkin, Mr. Tahany, Mr. Wevers, Mr. White, Mrs. Masiulis, Mr. Krug, Coach Alfalla, Coach Hannifan, Mr. A'Hearn, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Arias, Mrs. Klimkowski, Fr. Tom, Fr. Albert, Bro. Kenneth, Bro. Roger, and Mr. Huggard, made four years of high school fly by. (I know I basically just named almost all of my teachers during my four years of high school. Shut up, these were top notch teachers we are talking about. They deserve the recognition.)

5. My Kellenberg Homeroom - These guys and girls that I sat with for four years, were some of the coolest and funniest people around. Eddie, Mark, Lauren, Khama, Paul, and Willy were some of the best friends you could ever ask for. Everyone in my homeroom was close, and our moderators were always awesome too. 9N, 10N, 11N, and 12N New Yorkers for Life!

6. My Kellenberg Squad - "Team, this is your Captain speaking!". I am talking about my Boys Varsity Bowling Team. I loved each and every one of these eleven guys that compromised this squad. We shared a lot of laughs, made a lot of people hate us, and rolled over the competition, (Sorry for the really lame pun!) Big thanks also to my coaches, Coach Cas, Coach Farrell, and Coach Frisina. I was so proud to be your Captain for our memorable year, and go bring home another championship back to the Birds Nest!

7. My Hofstra Family - I am so thankful this year for the wonderful group of friends that I have made in college. Two days after graduating from High School, I was a little nervous, and I got to meet and get to know some of the funniest, kind, and thoughtful people in the country. Our Group was the shit, plain English, and I always let them know that. So to Olivia, Veronica, Kate, Pamela, Ciera, Max, Erik, Maxwell, our moderator Daylen, and also to our extended group, Annie, Ava, Sarah, and Arielle, I am so honored that you let me into your lives. I will never be able thank you guys enough for that. (Also, just to annoy you, you probably will read these next set of words in my voice, talking, walking, ball, sauce, coffee, dog, New Yorker, and Long Island haha!)

8. My Outside of School Friends - I am thankful for my friends outside of school too. People like Danny, PJ, Merce, TJ, Robbie, Will, Brendan, and many others. You guys always make me laugh so much and I than you for that.

9. My Missing Loved Ones - I am thankful for the members of my family who are no longer with us. My grandfather, my grandmother, my Papa, and my Aunt Pam. I miss you all so very much, and I love you all so tenderly. Even though I can't say thank you face to face, I know that you hear me when I say it. Thanks for all that you have done for me and my family.

10. My Graham Cousins - I love my cousins Mack, Connor, Jamieson, Gianna, and Gavin, I am so thrilled that you are in my life. I love each and every one of you guys so much. Being the oldest one of us all, I have to be the leader, and I hope that I have led you guys to be great individuals, and to lead great lives.

11. My Graham Family - My sponteanous side of me, comes from my mothers side of the family. You guys never fail to make me laugh, and make me smile. I am so proud and honored to have my middle name be Graham. I love each and every one of you guys so much, you'll never know.

12. My Extended Sandas Family - My 'familia' as we call ourselves, is one of the greatest families that can ever be assembled. The list goes on, and on, and on about what my family means to me, but I'll keep it nice and short and sweet. You guys mean the world to me, and I am so honored to have Sandas be my last name, and be apart of this families great legacy. Thank you to all my Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins as well.

13. My Nana - I am thankful for my 'Nana'. She is always an inspiration to me, at 89 years young! She continues to make me laugh, and cry, and live life to the fullest. I don't know what I would do without her loving and caring guidance. Thank you so very much!

14. My Sister - I am extremely thankful for my sister, Kellie. She has made me the proudest brother in the world for her. Her softball skills are second to none at her age, as she continues to shine, and again make me so proud to be her brother. She angers me sometimes, but it's all good. Show me a brother and sister that don't fight every now and then, and get back to me. I have fought people for her, and I would do anything for her.

15. My Father - My father has been one of the biggest lights of inspiration anyone could ever ask for. He is the greatest person that I know. His heart is the biggest it can be, and he makes me proud to say I'm his son. I've always been his 'partner', and I can't tell you guys how honored that makes me. I don't envy anyone else's father, I can tell you that as a fact. People should envy mine instead. He is the bravest person I know, and has made me into the man that I am today.

16. My Mother - I end with my mother being one of the people that I am most thankful for. She has always been in my corner from day one, and I know that she will continue to do so and be there for me. She has sacrificed a lot for me, to be where I am today. I am so eternally grateful to you ma, and there is no way on this planet that I will ever be able to repay you for what you have done for me.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of people that are in my life, that I didn't mention by name, or didn't mention at all in this passage, that I am still very thankful for. People in all of my classes in high school and college, other family members, other co-workers, and people all over the place. People like my WSC1 Class, and my Mass Media Class, and Group 2 in Disney, and my 6th Period History Class, and my 9th Period College Writing Class. The list goes on from there.

I also want to say I am thankful to wake up every day, and walk, and talk, and hear, and see. I am also thankful for the ability to write this blog every day, and I am also thankful for you, for reading it.

What are you thankful for? Are you more thankful for things, or for people?

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, and understanding" - Alice Walker
"Take time to be thankful for everything that you have. You can always have more, but you can also have less." - Unknown

My second installment of Turnstile Thursdays is about something that occurred today in New York City, the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

The parade is one of the most magical times of the year for little kids, and grown ups alike. There are stars galore both on the floats, and on the ground. Some sing, some dance, and some just wave. The balloons of favorite cartoons and animated movie stars bring kinds to the edges of their seats. Pop star lip-sync to their most famous song at the time, or sometimes sing a Christmas song or two. 

Some Broadway shows give little snippets of their most famous number during their brief time in front of the Macy's building. The Rockettes are always performing their chicken routine for all the people in the crowd, and at home. 

I have never actually seen the play in person, but I have watched it every year that I could. I just love the way the entire city and world comes together to watch these magnificent balloons come down one of the greatest streets in the world. Plus all the little boys and girls get to see Santa finish off the parade like he has done ever since 1933. 

Have you ever watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade? Would you want to go see it in person?

Peace and Love, 
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "Experience is the teacher in all things." - Emperor Julius Caesar
"Ideas pull the trigger, but instinct loads the gun." - Don Marquis  

This second installment of Wisdom Wednesday is a piece of wisdom that was given to me right around this time of year, last year, by my senior Christian Existence teacher, which was to "Never Settle on Your Faith". At its core, it means to speak up for what you believe in, and to stand up for what you think is right.

She gave us this piece of advice to never be afraid of speaking up, mostly about our faith. You do have to admit, the world is sub-par on being kind to Catholics these days. It is hard to not be just my religion, but all religions. She felt it was a necessary right to give us this advice to help us in our daily lives, as we went into the college world and eventually into the real world. Boy, was she as right as ever!

She gave us this advice to never settle in being made fun of, in any aspect of our lives. She wanted us to never settle on the knowledge that we have, to always want to learn more. She wanted us to also always speak up for what is right, and to speak up for justice, and against injustice, in our lives, and in the lives of others.

"Never Settling" is very hard. It might sound easy, but it isn't. It is hard to want to stand up for something you believe in. A famous quote by an unknown person, is to, "Stand up for what you believe in, even if you stand alone." This is the hardest thing to do, especially in college. It is hard to want to be involved in your faith, as so many outside forces are constantly trying to make you give in to peer pressure and to concede on your morals, ideas, and faith. 

Your professors aren't always on the same page as you, some aren't even in the same book, and some aren't even in the same library as you!

It is not like how it used to be at my old high school, Kellenberg Memorial, where all of the two-hundred-odd teachers were Catholic, most went to and graduated from the school itself, and were involved in the 'Kellenberg Bubble of Faith', as we called it. A place where you were able to live your faith out, without a fear of being made fun of, or being discriminated against. A place that was described, among other things, as a "Beautiful Place to Grow." It truly was all of these things. 

But, it is truly a shame what college is like in this regard today. We are expected to grow and to learn, but how can we do that when some, if not most professors, are prohibiting our freedom's of speech, and our freedom to express his or her own religion. I'm pretty sure that there is a pretty famous document in our country, that allows me to say what I want to say about my religion, whenever and wherever I want to say it. Again, in another entry in this blog, I draw similarities to the famous Henry Ford quote, "You can have any color of car you want, as long as it is Black." You can have whatever views you want in my class, as long as it doesn't interfere with my class, my teachings, and my views. 

One of my professors is an Atheist, that used to be Catholic, and she makes sure that every time we have a discussion on faith, or religious matters, that she always brings up my faith, and also my friends faith in Catholicism as well. She singles us out, and tries to make us feel small, and make us feel that we should give up our roots that we have planted in our faith. That we should be embarrassed to be Catholics, as she embarrasses herself honestly, in front of the class. Some have conceded, just for the sake of having to get a grade out of her. They have told me, that in their opinion,  it is worth it to just to sit there, say what she wants to hear, get the grades, then leave, rather than try to win a never-ending and un-winable war with her.

Are these people cowards? Absolutely not! They are just afraid, and they should be. It is a very scary thing to have to do! To be forced to give up your faith, or else! That is one step away from martyrdom for crying out loud!!

It could be so easy for me to just throw away the over thirty-six thousand dollars my parents have spent on my high school tuition alone on my faith. Coupled with the almost fifteen grand that it cost for me to go through Catholic elementary and middle school, at Sacred Heart, I would be throwing away over fifty thousand dollars that my parents worked so hard for, to spend on my education, because they felt it was the best thing to do for me. 

But it is not about the money. Rather, it is about the faith itself. It is about the countless hours of being an altar-server. It is about the thousands of masses I've gone to. It is about the almost decade and a half of schooling that I have had. It is about the countless questions I have asked about my faith to all types of priests and scholars. It is about the relationship that I have worked hard to achieve with my religion. It is about the person that I think that I am inside. That is what I would sacrifice, to concede to her views. I would have to sacrifice my inner self! Everything that I am. Gone.

For the sake of what? A measly conversation that means nothing to you in the long run of your life. Is that really what you want to throw away your faith for? For a bunch of classmates and a professor that don't give a shit about you?

So whenever she asks me a sny question or angry remark about her former religion, I use this advice, to make it known why this religion it is currently mine, and why I don't throw it away like some piece of garbage out of the window of your car on the Long Island Expressway. I make sure that whatever she is saying wrongly about the faith is corrected immediately, about all topics. I don't do it in an angry tone. I just speak. I make sure that I show her that even though I don't agree with her Atheistic views, I still respect her opinions and views, as long as they don't cross the line between being true, and being blatantly biased and wrong.

Having that respect right there, is the difference maker in having self-control, and not having self-control. Between having love, and not having love. Showing very calmly, that I have respect for her views, puts her lack of respect for mine, under a huge magnifying glass, for the whole class to see. 

You're probably saying what did this little speech and tirade have to do with "Never Settling". Well, what it means is I could settle, and maybe not raise my hand to say that I am proud to be a Catholic. It means that I could settle and throw away everything that I ever was in my faith, anything that I am right now, and anything that I ever could or would be in the future, just to impress my professor and a few of my classmates. It means once again that I would have to sell myself short, in who I truly am as a human being!

"Never Settling" means standing up for whats right. Speaking for the people that are too afraid to speak up, for fear of verbal, mental, or physical abuse. It means being who you truly are inside, with no compromise for other people, who truly don't care about you. You should never have to compromise on your faith, NEVER! 

Where these words that you would like to follow? Have there been times that you have stood up for what you believed in? Have there been times when you did not? Would you change the times when you did not?

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "Of all human activities, man's listening to God is the supreme act of his reasoning and will." - Pope Blessed Paul VI
"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Faith without Logic and Reason, is Dead" - St. Augustine

The second post of Tune Tuesdays is going to be about a song that I love so much, and one sung by one of my favorite singers, Dean Martin, and it is one of his most famous songs, "Everybody Loves Somebody". 

This song knocked The Beatles, my all-time favorite band's song "A Hard Day's Night" out of the number one spot. This song became the theme song of his Sunday night Variety show for over ten years. It became such an important song to him, that the title of the song is on his tombstone.

I love the song for two reasons. One, I just love Dean Martin's voice on the track, and Two, I love the lyrics so much. "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes, Everybody Falls in Love Somehow. Something in your kiss just told me, My sometime is Now", then "Everybody Finds Somebody Someplace, there's no telling where Love may appear. Something in my heart keeps saying, my Someplace is here." It is then followed by a great bridge, "If I had it in my power, I would arrange for every girl to have your charm. Then every minute, every hour, every boy would find what I found in your arms." Then it goes on to say, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes, and although my dreams were overdue. Your Love made it well worth waiting, for someone like you." It then repeats the bridge and the last verse one last time, before the song ends.

What this song says to me is that if you don't have somebody right now, it's ok. That person will come around eventually, and when they do, they are going to be well worth the wait. And that special woman has such an incredible charm that if every girl in the world had it, every boy would be partnered up and good to go for life. 

​So that is my feelings about this song Do you feel like this song, I hope you enjoy it, and love the song like I do. Do you have any songs that make you love someone?

Peace and Love,
DGS 

Quotes of the Day: "The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed" - Nicolas Chamfort
"At times I think, and at times I am." - Paul Valery

My second Memory Monday, is one that made me very popular in my grade from the middle of Freshman year, all the way still to this day, almost four years after it happened.

I was the only Freshman on the Varsity Bowling Team, so when it came around for the Freshman Winter Pep Rally in school, I was the only one that had to go to the auditorium to represent the team with the other freshman teams, while the other guys were playing dodgeball in the gym with the other varsity teams.

​One by one the other teams were called up and played a bunch of party games. So the freshman wrestling team went up and beat the freshman cheerleaders, so then it was the bowling teams turn, which sounded good on paper, but when they only announced one name, mine, it made it a lot more funnier. Some people stood and cheered, and when I got up there, there was quite a buzz going through the auditorium. The event was cup stacking, so I had to go against thirty of my classmates and friends, by myself, in front of my entire class. It was a little scary I'll admit that much. So I started the event and some of the other wrestlers came over and cheered me on behind me. I won and now the auditorium was electric.

They started chanting my last name, it was a such a surreal feeling. The entire class now knew who I was. I then beat the freshman girls basketball team in Simon "Firebird" says, and lost to the freshman dance team because I didn't want to dance in a freeze-dance competition. I then got a standing ovation when I came off of the stage, and that made me extremely well known and well liked throughout the class for the rest of high school. That day back in January in 2012, was one of the best days of my life.

The reason I bring this up on the blog for this Memory Monday, is for two reasons. One, some people from my class who were in the audience most likely will read this entry, and Two, it is still relevant to this day, as it appeared as one of the 'defining' moments of the Class of 2015 in our school newspaper, and also as many people wrote about it in my yearbook. As I look forward this week to going back up to my high school, and seeing all of my friends, I can say with a certainty that this memory, as well as other ones that will be appearing in future entries, will be discussed in great length.

Do you have any moments like this in high school? Would you want moments like this?

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "Change before you have to." - Jack Welch
"Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out." - Edwin Markham
​

There have been some things that I have learned so far during my brief time at college. These things are purely just how I feel about certain topics that have observed in my two months in college. 

1. The Accent. - The Long Island accent, or rather the "Lawn-Guy-Land" Accent, is apparently real, and apparently I have one. I have been told that people don't understand what I say sometimes in class and outside of it. Sometimes people laugh at the way I pronounce words. It is somehow funny to some people the way we on Long Island say words like car, dog, talk, New Yorker, sauce, ball, coffee, and Long Island itself! We don't have an accent, you guys just don't have one and your jealous. 

​2. Your opinion doesn't always matter in class - A lot of the time, professors have their own agendas for how their class is going to go, and they will not always agree with you and what you have to say. Sometimes they will call you and your beliefs out in front of everybody. It is not like high school, where the teachers couldn't flat out disagree with you and rip you apart. It is a whole new beast, that I don't agree with. 

3. Your life story also doesn't matter in class - Also a big thing that annoys me to no end is the constant person in class that raises their hand with a story that has little relevance to the topic, as to just talk about a personal story. Literally once in class we were having a discussion about sports, and this kid rose his hand and said, "My cousin's, dog-walker's, best friend's, sister-in-law's, nephew almost played for the Single A affiliate of the San Fransisco Giants". I was like, "THANK YOU VERY MUCH! MY LIFE IS NOW COMPLETE! THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION!" Am I the only person that thinks that that is the most annoying thing in the world. 

4. If you Raise your Hand, Don't Take All Day - I can't tell you how many times I have been sitting in class, a good discussion is rolling along, and some idiot will raise their hand, and take twenty minutes to introduce their unnecessary thesis statement, or to reiterate the question slowly, and then take an hour to get through their speech, wherein they take long unneeded breaks in-between words and sentences, and sound like a first grader reading, during a Thanksgiving concert at their old elementary school. Like if you're going to raise your hand, have your thoughts ready to go, in a clear and concise manner. Write them down if you have to, if that's what it takes to get the job done.

5. Know What You're Talking About, and Speak with Passion - Also something that ties into the last one is if you're going to raise you're hand, have something relevant to the topic please. And also, don't try to reach for straws when you talk. Don't try to use false stats, or as I say "Facebook Comments Stats", that you just made up, to make yourself sound smarter than you are. Don't try to make yourself something you're not. If the topic you are talking about is something you care about, then it should not be a problem to talk about it with pride and with purpose. Be confident in the way you speak, and just deliver yourself. If you care about a topic, then speak with passion. Don't just sit in the back of the class like dead wood, and try to come up with some brilliant answer, without having some context. And also put some omph behind it, (That's an Italian thing, calm down.)

6. Your Professors Aren't Always Inclusive / Caring of your Ideas - In one of my classes, my professor taught us on the first day to question everything and to especially question authority, but how are we supposed to do that if you won't let us speak and think for ourselves, and let us have our own convictions. It's like you can believe whatever you want, as long as it doesn't interfere with my teaching. It is almost like the famous Henry Ford quote, "You can have a car in any color, as long as that color is Black." 

7. Your Classmates Aren't Always Inclusive / Caring of your Ideas - Almost as bad as, maybe even worse sometimes then professors not caring, is when you're own classmates turn on you. There have been times in my Sociology class, that me and my friends have received literal death threats for saying the things that we say. We have discussions about politics, social issues, and religion, and I am still surprised to this day, that I have't been shanked or shot in that class yet. I have said to somebody in that class when I was fed up with all of the talking behind my back when I was talking "I let you have your shitty-ass opinion, now let me have mine." Shut that person right up right quick, I can tell you that. Like if you're going to talk about me or my beliefs, don't do it right in front of me. Wait for you guys to be alone in your dorm or something, or walking to class, or if you are going to talk about me, at least try to whisper. The 'problem' with me is I am 75% Sicilian, so I don't take the same amount of bullshit like some people might in those high pressure situations.

8. You Aren't As Important As You Think You Are - There are a lot of people throughout my classes that think that they are more important then they actually are. They walk around with their nose up, thinking that their shit don't smell, or if it does, it smells like roses. I hate these people. It's like calm down people, let's take a chill pill or two... or ten... or a hundred. You aren't that important, and news flash, the world revolves around the Sun, not you.

9. Friends Get You Through It - Something that definitely ties into my post that I made yesterday about the importance of friendship, is the ability that they have to get you through a rough class. They allow you to go out to dinner after the class and just vent all day and night long. They allow you to crack jokes about people, and share your feelings on the matter. They help you study for midterms and finals, and are always there for you in class too. I have this in my Sociology and Mass Media class big time, and I need it too!

10. People Suck! - The last one is as straight forward as it can get. People Suck! There are always going to be people you like, and there are certainly going to be people you don't like and / or hate. You will always have people who are my last point that I made, who think that they are Jesus Christ, or the Virgin Mary, reincarnate on the World, and need to be worshiped as such. That just comes with being in the world. But it doesn't make this fact any less true that some people suck, and some suck more than others. 

Do you feel any of these too? Do you feel that I missed one? 

Peace and Love,
DGS 

Quotes of the Day: "A leader is a dealer in Hope" - Napoleon Bonaparte
"Of all Human activities, man's listening to God is the supreme act of his reasoning and will." - Pope Blessed Paul VI

So many people talk about how important friendship is to one another these days, but it needs to be said every single day. Friendship is so important during all stages of our lives. There is no better thing we can do on this world, then be friends with one another, and help each other through life. 

Friends are what gets us to laugh on our bad days, and what makes us happy to be alive during our best ones. Friendship is a necessity of life, almost like air and water. Friends are the people that look out for you, and would fight to the death for you. Friends are the people who would take a bullet for you. We all need friends to get us through school, work, and life.

True friendship comes with loyalty. Loyalty is the single-most important thing to an excellent friendship that you want to last for a long time. Loyalty is the thing that makes you stand next to your friends during the bad times. If you are not going to be beside your friends during their bad times, then what good are you to them during the good times. You need to be loyal all the time to your friends. Your friends need to know you will be there for them all the time. 

There also needs to be a great deal of Trust in friendship. Trust also ties back into the loyalty thing. If you are loyal to your friend, there is a trust that they will be loyal back to you, and be there for you during your bad times. This is what friendships that fail lack. They lack trust. They lack depth. They mostly lack love.

There is also a certain amount of Love that must also go into friendships. Love allows friends to get attached to each other, and become 'brothers' or 'sisters' to one another. Love allows our friends to become extended family to each others blood families. Love is what gives excellent gifts at birthdays, Christmas, Easter, and other celebrations. Love is why true friends go to other friends near family funerals if God forbid they happen. They go not for their own needs, but for the needs of their friend. For their comfort, and to hopefully bring them joy and blessings.  

Friendship is staying up all night taking on the phone when you have had a messy breakup. Friendship is going out to a bar or going someplace else and making memories that will last you a lifetime. Friendship is telling a stupid joke and being made fun of, then doing it back to the other person. Friendship is allowing two people to come together into 'One Heart and One Mind.' And most importantly friendship is what gets us through our sometimes tough lives.

Would your best friends do anything for you? Would you do anything for your best friends?

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "I get by With a Little Help From My Friends, I get high With a Little Help From My Friends, I'm gonna try With a Little Help From My Friends." - The Beatles
"Trust but Verify" - President Ronald Reagan

What I am going to do every Thursday from now is to talk about a location in the greatest city in the world, New York City. This week I am going to talk about Broadway, and going to see a play on one of the most famous blocks in the world. 

Broadway has always been at the heart of play's succeeding here in America, and around the world. Some of the world's greatest plays have made a home here on Broadway. Play's like Anything Goes, West Side Story, Lion King, Annie, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and many, many more have gotten their start and finales on this coveted street. 

I have gone to see many plays on Broadway during my life. I have seen Phantom of the Opera twice, Rain twice, Hairspray once, The Lion King once, Sister Act once, Shrek the Musical once, Jersey Boys three times, Les Mis once, Wicked once, Annie once, and Something Rotten three times.

I love the theater. I love comedies and musicals. I am not a huge fan of drama's but I love the music that comes along with them like Wicked and Phantom. I love the orchestra and the singing. I just love the feel and hustle and bustle of the city around 7:30 on Broadway right before the curtains open at 8. It is a daily routine,  and ritual that everyone around Broadway must observe. 

If they were a lot cheaper, and I had lots of free time, I could go to the city and watch ten Broadway plays a day. I love them so much. It is impossible to leave the theater after a production, and not be excited, singing, and bouncing off of the walls with joy.

Plays come and go but the memories last a lifetime.

Have you ever seen a Broadway play? If so, which one, and did you enjoy it?

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "There's nothing that can match Broadway for stature and dignity." - Sammy Davis Jr.
"The harder I work, the luckier I get." - Samuel Goldwyn

Starting every Wednesday, I will be giving out a piece of wisdom, that I have collected throughout my life...

Life can be hard sometimes. We can fight with our family and friends. We can fail a big test. We can not get the job we want. We can be frustrated with life in general. But there has always been one piece of advice that I received from one of my teachers back in my freshman year of High School that I have always kept with me, and that is to "Pick it up and Drive on".

It might sounds silly and / or stupid, but when you think about it, the best way to deal with something is to face it head on, accept what has happened, pick it up with you for the rest of your life, embrace it, and drive forward in your life, and hope that with that failure or whatever happened to you, it can make you an overall better friend, family member, neighbor, or human being. 

Like I said, I got this piece of advice from my freshman Earth Science teacher, who was in the Army, and he would use this mantra to get him through the really tough times during the war. He used it all the time in class about if someone failed a quiz or test, or if the notes were really long that day. It has inspired me, and I follow it a lot, when times aren't exactly up to par. 

So you don't make a team, hit the weight room and go after it next season. So you don't get the job you interviewed for, don't harp about it, work hard and make it impossible to for them to pass up on you again. So you didn't get asked out on a date by the 'love' of your life. Big deal, get in line. Work hard to make yourself irresistible to another man or woman. So you failed a quiz or test, study twice as hard and go for extra-help before or after school, to get that grade that you want. Life just isn't going to come bite you on the ass, you have to go get after it. And if you truly want it, then you will do whatever it takes to get it done.

You have to realize that EVERYONE'S Life takes turns for the better and also for the worst. You also have to realize that only you have the power to dictate how your life is going to go. Only you can write the script to the movie of your lifetime.

What piece of wisdom gets you through the night? Is a favorite quote from a book, a movie, a song? 

Peace and Love,
DGS

Quotes of the Day: "All great achievements require Time" - Maya Angelou
"Always desire to learn something useful" - Sophocles
"Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life" - Seneca