This is an exciting “Best of Reel” from the Torino Winter Olympics 2006

There is an intense storm off shore.

You know it because you can see the clouds appear in the early evening sky, backlit by electric energy, and then instantly disappear into blackness.

Moments later a deep rumbling greets you, borne on the salt-swept wavetops of the surf. You are captivated by the storm’s size. Its sheer bulk encompasses your horizon.

It calls to you like a siren of the sea, it touches every pore of your being, and the ache to be engulfed in her turbulence is unlike anything you have ever felt or imagined possible in your lifetime.

The storm moves in to shore. Fear, anxiety, the fight or flight response is activated in you.

You chose Fight.

Standing your ground squaring your shoulders holding the line it hits. Not with gentle rain but with a BLAST a wall of water SLAMS into your body with such an intensity it is like a hit from 100 linebackers plowing into you.

Somehow you stand your ground. Your soul is drenched, cleansed. Your spirit rejuvenated, your body empowered.

Open your eyes to quiet… the beach is gone, the storm has dissipated, your clothes are dry, nothing is as it was except, wait…

Nothing is as it was because something has joined you the storm brought you to the X on your treasure map, to the point of being you, with every hope sent out with every dream wished and every desire fanned. You have called her and now she stands beside you.

Say hello to the Universe, she is right next to you…

FEEL THE POWER OF “U”

Well it happened to me this weekend.

I hitched a ride on a twister (my life) and landed safely back in OZ, my hometown.

Funny how I never knew that the fable was switched around before, but it is not that Dorothy wants to get back to Kansas. What she doesn’t know is how to get back to “her Kansas,” the one she had left 30 ago. What she found in OZ was actually home – she had just been gone so long it was hard to recognize. Everything had aged 30 years; people had passed or moved on; city planners did what they do, and before you know it you felt like a stranger in the one place you counted on knowing all of your life.

For some this would be hard enough to head back after 30 years and see what there is to be seen. Have I ever allowed my life to be so simple and to do one task at a time? Please!

I am the King of “Cosmic Multi Tasking,” so I packed as much stuff into a 48 hour round trip tornado ride as I could, I am to be honored by my High School along with 5 other folks from its 55 year history into the “High School Hall of Fame,” the first ever inaugural group. This means that out of all the senior classes of senior classes at Carlsbad High School, somehow someone thought I should be chosen to personify and represent everything that can happen when one does “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” to his discover his own land of OZ!

WOW! What are you kidding me? I was a nobody, a geek’s geek, and guy who was so riddled with shyness that he had to put on layers of bravado each morning before his tube socks just to get to school. I was the top choice to stand up for Carlsbad High, this was unfathomable. It brought me right back to the time in High School in 1980 before we graduated that I was nominated to be “Most Talented” in the class.???

Again… What??? I didn’t think people could even see me, let alone knew I wanted to be an actor when I grew up. But the Wizard had other plans it seems as I did win Both coveted awards over a 30 year time span. Talk about a Bubble ride!!

Coming back to my Kansas, I hardly recognized the place.

The school had tripled in size and as a matter of fact a new gym now stood Dwarfing the old one and this was the reason for the Dedication for the Hall of Fame except they were inducting non-athletes , Math Science, Creative Arts, Business, Education—All the misfits from their respected classes now were asked to stand up on a stage with a rainbow hanging over it and be lorded as their favorite sons and daughters. (Come to think of it, it was a boys club all men and not one woman made the hall of Fames first induction, hmm odd that I did not pick up on that until just now. not a Dorothy in the bunch. Seems a little strange.)

We were the Cowardly Lions in our time.

The Scarecrows.

And the invisible Tin Men.

Now we were standing on a stage before the entire school hearing our credits read off and for the first time ever in being in this space I was not worried if people were going to see me or here me or even like me it was a given. I was the man of the hour (one of six at least) and with it came the respect and humility I had always wanted as a kid.

I then stopped the show… yeah I told you I was packing a lot in this weekend. I had an agenda and I was going to get through this. I took the microphone and said to the class of 2010,2011,2012 and 2013 and all the teachers and Alumni present:

The first step in your Journey is the most important and without that step we would not be before you today trying to inspire you to reach your dreams.

The first step comes from someone believeing in you and I would like to recognize and start a scholarship program in this woman’s name. To the First woman “grown-up” ever to believe in me “us” the plaque reads.

To Monica Hall, our (Drama-Mama) the first grown up ever to believe in us! Thanks Teach- for your straightforward, inexhaustible style of believing in your “kids”. 30 years of the wonderful realities you created because you did something as simple as believe, the sum of all the belief you have given us could power Entire Nations.

Doug Jack
on behalf of the Carlsbad Theater Alumni

More in part two of this tale of back to Kansas, but I need a moment to cry tears for that boy who wanted so much to be the man I am today and stay in this bubble of Joy for a while be back soon!

Then Beyonce came out and sang for an hour and a half, and we danced on the field with our cast and then she danced for us on the stage, I have never been so close to a performance with such energy and power, Beyonce aka. Sasha FIERCE (her stage name) was truly FIERCE, and we danced and danced…AMAZING!

Then to the cast and crew party where, YES you guessed it, this 47 year old man Danced with every member of the my team until we were so tired and happy because itwas an amazing show and we all worked so hard to get here and to know it was so good it made our ears and hearts open and we danced… ABBA.. Beyonce.. Rihanna and countless other songs and I kept on dancing.

Then to my apartment in the middle of town where, no I did not dance, but fell asleep dead for five hours and then got a taxi back to the arena to say goodbye and go to the airport where I m now. In the taxi at the arena as the taxi driver waited for me to say goodbye and turn my keys to my apartment in, he shared with me his lunch that his wife had made for him.. This has never happened in my life where a taxi driver shared with me his joy and his home-made lunch! It was very touching indeed and quite tasty! AMAZING!

Finally we are now at the airport, I do not know why I am speaking in the royal “WE” but I am, maybe because I feel an entire country with me as I wait for my boss Marco Balich to join me.

I now begin the 1st of four flights that will take me back to the USA, 2 flights today to Italy, where I will spend the night and then two more flights to Los Angeles, where I will rent a car and drive to my HOME in Palm Springs (after the evenings traffic finishes).

Where finally I will stop dancing and be back in the USA and begin to get my book out to all of you who are reading this, and hopefully you will dance in the Wonderful memories I have had in these 47 years.

Wow it is such an amazing honor to have this life to live in such a crazy Wonderful way, I may not need all four airplanes to get me home… I MAY JUST DANCE!!

Thank you Ukraine and thank you to all the Volunteers and my cast and crew whom have given me such a chance to be a little-Disney-Dancer who could!

AMAZING!

Thank you!

But last night here in Eastern Europe, in the town of Donetesk, a place famous for its coal mining and an one very awesome Championship Football club called Shaktar, with a brand new “Diamond Stadium” opening it’s doors to the world tomorrow night. A couple of thousand enthusiastic volunteers performing onstage and backstage in a show that I had a small part in writing and directing, when one lone voice stepped out of the crowd of the many and speaks…no wait, not speaks…but Sings (in the form of a thank you letter).

Not only in Donestk but for all of the countless masses of volunteers I (we) have had the amazing honor of being allowed to help realize the one dream of the many thousands who have ever been brave enough to step out of the crowd and volunteer. Taking your one voice and molding it into a chorus of many that the world will not only hear but they will feel deep inside of their hearts.

Not only is this letter the sweetest music to my ears but to those of the hard-working international team who will never forget the talent and tenacity of you; the dedicated local cast and crew that is doing more then they thought possible by are moving mountains (not only of coal) but, just plain mountains to do this for a people we have never known until a few months ago but now will never forget as long as we live. Just because we are crazy enough to care to make the Impossible-Possible! This is the greatest quest any persons can be on, one of the Belief in Magic!

This is the very reason that got me hooked twenty-two years ago into dedicating my life’s work to being what it is. Friends, this is the real Front Side of Wonderful.

From one volunteer’s pen, now to you, I share the fuel in our spirit, the dream in our hearts and the Goal to the end any game…

Dear all,

My words may seem to you foolish and childishly naïve, but nevertheless I hope they will evoke smiles on your faces.

Kindly be aware that there are people who admire what you are doing and are happy to assist you (even in the smallest and insignificant way) in this show’s organization.

This is not an empty and groundless flattery, the matter is that at this point I feel that I am not a spectator, but a direct participant in the show, that is, finally, I am where I always wanted to be!

As you are an integral part of events taking place in my life, I have the greatest desire to share my feelings with you. I try to remember every moment, successful or not very much. Because this will be a grand event not only for a big city, but for a “small person” also, who had a possibility to break the monotonous existence with a maximum of surprises.

Your smiles leave none indifferent, your enthusiasm is much admired. I am happy to meet you and there are no limits for gratitude and this happiness.

P.S. I’m sure that every participant has gained abundant experience and lasting impressions!
Thank you very much for these days!

Kind regards,

Volunteer- Julia Berdnik
The Opening of the Don Bass Arena,
Donestk, Ukraine. August 29th 2009

Julia, thank you for taking the time; first to volunteer with all of your heart and soul and the patience and strength you add to this amazing cast and secondly to pay us such an accolade with your heartfelt words, so please know this to be true, it is only because of people like you that makes it possible for people like us…to do what we love. Thank You!

If you would permit me, I boldly wish to edit one small part of our letter. You are not and never will be just one “small person” your help will never be insignificant or forgotten. You are a person who was built for Wonder and able to feel a Maximum of Surprises. This is no small feat at all Julia… this is the Goal that wins any game! You and every volunteer here in Donestk are indeed the True Champions!

Thank you to you for being…you.

We Humbly share this victory with you, from me and for all the team here,

Doug Jack

Director of the Opening Ceremonies of the Don Bass Arena,
Donestk, Ukraine. August 29th 2009

3…It is hard to believe the first of the Trilogy is here, the first of the last largest number of ‘Days To Go’ that this show will ever see is here.

The number that is most emphasized in a countdown as the point of no return, the point of total awareness, of body poised ready to spring into action and from action to present and from present right into the past as it becomes a memory another series of stories or of threads that weave the unique fabric of you.

I sit here with a head and a heart full of Wonder. Filled with so many things this morning, having come home a little early from work yesterday to get the apartment ready to receive house guests as both Bryn and I are having people arrive from out of town to see the show. So I head to the corner market one last time to buy food for our guests.

My publisher is coming with my book. It will be the first time I will see the book and hold it in my hands, and I am oddly calm, and silently the proudest Papa in the room, there is such a easy joy when something has taken on a life of its own a point of just being.

No longer is it odd to even say those words that used to catch me unawares, like ‘my publisher’ or ‘I’m writing a book’…I can only imagine it is the way first time parents must feel caught unawares of the most natural of things yet when it happens to you there is a period of adjustment to getting used to being included in this group.

Last night, as I have done countless times in every city, town, village, place, apartment, house, or hotel I have every lived in, I started doing things for ‘the last time’ again. And I noticed with a Joy and an Awesome respect how the people of this little town-that-could have worked their magic on me. Small unspoken considerations are becoming a thing of the past in so many countries. Small considerations of daily life is what impresses me about this town.

The way each terrace and balcony stacked on top of each other are beautifully displayed with pride and outward affection for color and plants, a personal signature sent out to the world what can be achieved with a little patience and consideration of time to grow. And the beauty we as passers-by get to drink in because of this. They may not own land, but they do own pride. The generational gap, that is non-existent as I watch a grown teenager take his grandfather for a slow and deliberate walk around the neighborhood, patiently holding his arm as they speak and move at a pace that for most teenagers would be crippling; yet he shows such a respect and a reverence to be able to share time with his elder.

Watching for the last time at the grocery store which I found to be tiny at first (6 small aisles with a butcher and a bakery in the back). Watching the baker, the same beautiful young lady who has been at the counter every time I have shopped there, hand cut a quarter of a larger round of hand made bread, but wait with the knife poised on the incision as she looks to the local buyer and allows him to tell her that he would like just a half an inch more, and they speak about the day as the other people patiently wait, (not tapping their feet or looking at their watches).

The Daughter who has brought her elderly mother to the market (as she has done countless times after her work day), and seeing her allow her mother this freedom of buying her own food for the evening meal. How they watch each when the other is not looking, taking the bag of fresh green-beans and placing it on their side of the divider on the conveyor belt to pay for them, never speaking about why or who can or should pay. It is a silent dance they have done for years.

The checkout lady who normally never bags any groceries for anyone. In Italy you do it for yourself. But she has come to know me and my American Italian accent, and now she always stops and helps me bag my things, knowing that I am more than a tourist her,e and also just wants in her unspoken way to show me a respect for my kindness to her when I have always engaged her with my wretched Italian and I make her laugh at the simplest things, like trying to find the correct change for her. I see the other shoppers are trying to figure out “who I am” as this is just never done by a checkout person. I silently smile and find myself welling up with a pang of emotion.

The neighbors who will soon be rid of the ‘two ragazzi’ on level four of their apartment block. These families who have had to suffer through their uninvited share of a few late night parties we have had on our balcony (there seems to have been a large number of birthdays in our production team these past two months) and since we have a large apartment with a wrap-around balcony, we are the party place. So I am happy that the neighbors will have some peaceful nights starting next week, and silently I thank them for their patience and kindness. But I do wonder who is going to water all of the plants Bryn and I have bought to display proudly on our balcony.

Hmmmmm …maybe I shall leave them at the front doorstep of the neighbors when we leave as just a small consideration of thanks for letting us call this wonderful place our home for 3 months.

3 is a big little number to honor all the wonderful small considerations that make Pescara, Pescara.

Grazie