The Moment It All Changes

This feels unfinished, but doesn't everything...?
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As this book opens, we see you reading it. The surrounding areas are a picture of your life right now. This is the beginning of our movie, and you’re the star- we know this because we’ve started with you, sitting there, reading this.

The thing is, we flash back to that time you wanted to do something, that thing you wanted to do, we see scenes of your life where you have failed over and over, and we see how those times, and what you learned during them have brought you to your current life- sitting there reading this,

But now we see you take a deep breath.

You let it out slowly- with resolve, you look at the camera and say:

Today is going to be different!

That thing you wanted to do today, that thing that you were going to put off- that reason that you bought this book, in the small hopes that it would get you off your ass to go TRY- that reason is now the thing you ARE going to do. You have no doubt about it-

The audience swells in a little cheer as we see you take another deep breath, look to camera and say- YES- I WILL!!

The couple in the front row hold each other a little tighter, because your resolve has spread to them- he’;s going to be a better husband, she is going to be a better wife. Your resolve to finally go do that thing you really, really want to try has given them courage to be better for each other.

The old man in the middle seat smiles wide, his wrinkles and age spots coming together in a dance like the stars on the night sky, remembering a time when he went for it- that girl, that job, that small showing of courage and telling life that he would not be denied. His feeling reminds him of what it is like to be alive, and he too resolves that he is not dead- dammit, if he can watch a movie, and he can breath, then dammit- he can still go do it!

You smile at your audience, knowing that you have done this for them, and you immediately get started on your plan. You know that every montage needs a list of actions, and most have a paper plan- step 1- is always to begin, even if the hero doesn’t know what to do.

so you start. My god, the makeup people have done a fantastic job because you look amazing. The lighting people have this glow that is coming from you, the music swells, and the camera pans in to watch you working hard towards your goal. We all know that you will make it if you keep it up.

You begin with excitement and energy; you feel like you are a new person, and you are- you are now one of those people who does the thing- not anymore being someone who SAYS they’re “going to” or a non-whatever- you are an actual member of that elite group- you call yourself by one of those titles even before you have actually finished because you know you will accomplish it, you just haven’t caught up to that moment in time yet.

We are watching your montage- you have never been so attractive because your light shines from the inside, your resolve, your spirit, your LIFE has led you to this moment, and we feel happy and giddy as we watch you take action.

Your first obstacle comes up, and whereas before it would be a stumbling block, maybe even something that would have prevented your goal, you break through it simply because you have already made that decision- there’s nothing to think about anymore- you are in the PROCESS, and it doesn’t end here- the PROCESS ends at the finish line, at the goal, at the end- when you WIN.

It doesn’t actually matter when that is, how far in the future, or even if it’s beyond your lifetime- you have set the actions in motion, and the audience watches, now knowing how the movie ends, but wanting to watch it happen.

And then you stop.

You stop for a second.

Just to reflect on what has happened.

Not just in this montage, but from the beginning- you watch that horrible thing that happened so long ago, and realize that it HAD to happen for you to come to this point in your life. You can actually look at that horrible time in your life, and from this perspective be GRATEFUL for it, because of how it has all turned out.

Without that horrible experience, which you cursed at the time, you wouldn’t be able to do what you are doing now. You see it again, from this perspective, and its pain has transformed. It’s not that the memory doesn’t hurt; it still does, but you relish in it. From this perspective, it gives you a new appreciation for the rest of your life- you see it all as a part of what has brought you to now.

And that’s when it happens.

In the middle of this montage.

Your actions, and reflections. Your past and present.

You see your life from the FUTURE, and realize that it has ALWAYS been about building you towards the next thing you want to do. The next thing you want to BECOME.

Your entire life: the childhood traumas, the teen angst, the adult insecurities, the middle-age doubts, the senior fears have all conspired together to help you CREATE WHO YOU ARE- you ARE these experiences, and you ARE the choices, and you ARE the PROCESS itself.

From this vantage point, the audience watching your growth cheers, seeing themselves in the process, seeing themselves as the challenges, seeing themselves AS the process.

We ARE the process, and we can cheer about every part of it. We stand up, together, cheering, applauding your progress, your life- because it is our own.

WE Cheer as we take a long view- one that spans forever, seeing the entire movie that has no beginning and no ending, but a never ending PROCESS of one decision to the next, creating a weaving pattern of CHANGE that brings about the beautiful nature of the Universe, created by us-

BEGUN WITH YOUR DECISION, BEGUN WITH YOUR NOW.

"In The Heights" the MUSICAL!

I absolutely LOVE the musical "In The Heights" by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and I got to see it before it went to Broadway.
When I saw the show, I felt COMPELLED to play the part of "Usnavi", who reminded me of myself a lot.

The character raps, sings a little, and doesn't dance too well- JUST LIKE ME! So, when I got the opportunity to audition for it, I jumped all in, and got to do the show. I was ecstatic, and after it was all done, I had this promo video made:

Lin-Manuel Miranda's music just moved my soul, and made me reminisce about my family here in New York. I cried my eyes out as I watched "Paciencia y Fe", because it so reminded me of my family's story and struggle to come to America. I REALLY connected with this broadway musical, and a few of my friends really understood. It is a show about US, in the same way that "Fiddler On The Roof" is about the Jews.

And I felt like the show was about ME.

This show is PERSONAL to me, and I hope to be able to write something as powerful for other people.

I got to experience some great emotions, and bring those to the audiences who came, and many folks told me it was the bet show they had seen at that theater. We got to perform for a few of the other people who have done it before (I wish Lin-Manuel could have seen us!) and they thought we were great.too.

That MEANS something to me.

As we continue in the crazy profession, I finally got to cross a life-goal off my list- to perform that show with my Mom in the audience. Thank you to everyone who was a part of making that happen.

Bones Rodriguez in IN THE HEIGHTS!

I'm Rapping and Singing in: Y'know how you have those things in life you WISH you would get the chance to do? Playing USNAVI in "In The Heights" is one of those things for me. I had just about given up on the idea since it closed on Broadway, and the character is in his twenties, and I... am not. Good thing I've been healthy! Amazingly, CR Productions (The Capital Region's Best-Rated Theatre) chose to do the show, and chose me for the part! It was one of those things: Laura had done two shows for them in the past, they knew I wanted to do the show, and when the guy who was going to do it had to drop out (congrats on your baby!), I got the audition! If you live anywhere near COHOES New York, from September 13-23rd I'll be playing USNAVI in this Amazing Show, and I would LOVE to do it for you! (Click the picture to see the video) You can also paste this link into your browser: ADVANCE TICKETS can be bought here: CR PRODUCTIONS

Also...I win GOLD during the Olympics! That NY LOTTO COMMERCIAL I shot back a few months ago was running during the Olympics like Usain Bolt! Thanks to everyone for the fun facebook messages, and since the Lotto commercial is running, and "In The Heights" is about winning the lotto- I'm off to get some tickets- JUST IN CASE! Thanks for reading, and please keep in touch! Bones Rodriguez http://www.BonesRodriguez.com

The Nutella Breakfast IDIOTS

Last night I was watching The Daily Show, and Lewis Black was on talking about people lying in the campaign- yes, that sucks.
But something else caught my attention while he was talking about an advertisement that Nutella was running, that showed Nutella to be a great breakfast food.
Lewis Black said something like "You'd have to be an IDIOT to believe that spreading creamy chocolate onto a piece of bread is a good breakfast for your kids!"
It was funny, and the audience laughed.

But hold on- it's not that Nutella is a good breakfast- OF COURSE, but why would people have to be IDIOTS to believe it? Actually, how many people had to OUTRIGHT LIE to get that message out there?

Yes, we know that Nutella is going to lie so they can make their money, right?
But how many PEOPLE make up Nutella? How many people had to say "Well, I'm not going to stop this ad even though it is a BLATANT lie, and someone would have to be an IDIOT to believe it- let's run it."
And then the poster company had to say "Well, it's not my job to stop a BLATANT LIE, just because this will POISON children a little bit". Then the guy who puts up the posters had to say the same thing, etc.

There had to be a whole STRING of people who had to agree to tell this BLATANT lie, that parents would have to be IDIOTS to believe, right?

IS THAT WHAT WE WANT?

Do we want a world where a blatant lie is passed around, poisoning kids before they even get a chance to start the day? What kind of a world are we creating where we allow poisons to advertised as breakfast where people have to be IDIOTS to believe the message that hundreds of people have verified?

And where does this leave COCO PUFFS as breakfast?

IS THAT WHAT WE WANT????????

DAMN, I hit 40...?

Ok, so I just turned 40 years old, and I could be doing better.

I don't know if everyone feels this way, but there are definitely certain things where I feel like I haven't grown at all, and I have been pretty disappointed in myself in those areas.

Those areas would be financially, career-wise, accomplishment-wise, making up English words-wise.

But y'know what?

I can't believe I actually have a muscular body! I just put up a new picture on facebook, and people have been pretty complimentary. I think the people who credit my Genes are funny. I have been trying to gain some muscle for more than 20 years, pretty steadily and stubbornly.

Anyway, so I wrote this book, and people are buying it up- http://www.HalfAssedHealth.com

One of my friends talks about how I've always been skinny, and I agree with her- but that has NOTHING to do with the growth. Had I not been working out, I'd probably just still be skinny, y'know? Or that kind of skinny-fat thing.

Anyway, if you're working hard at the gym, but not getting results, don't give up- the turtle gets the the finish line, even if not first.

Now if I could just get that attitude about those other parts of my life...

TheThankYouChallenge.com

So, I made a new site, called TheThankYouChallenge, and it's about spreading gratitude and appreciation through sending a card through the mail. I of course use http://www.SendOutCards.com/Bones, but even if you do it by hand, it's a great way to let someone know how important they are to you.

http://www.TheThankYouChallenge.com  Coach Code: Bones


http://www.TheThankYouChallenge.com Coach Code: Bones

Hey Jamba Juice- Listen Up!

I walked into Jamba Juice today because I had walked a long way without eating, and wanted to have a large drink. When I walked in, I saw that for the Holidays, they were doing a special- Free Jamba Juice for a $25 gift card. Sounds good, right? I'm a customer, I really like going there, and I would probably use the gift card myself, and as a result, buy more Jamba juice.

Which is WHY you offer gift cards- so people will give you money NOW, for something they will probably use more often because they have it.

 The woman in front of me ordered a POWER, their largest size, and a gift card. However, the special was only for the 16oz. size, like it said on the poster. She begrudgingly paid the extra $1.16 for the power size, took her gift card with the "buyers remorse face" you've seen before, and walked over to wait for her "free" drink... which as far as she's concerned cost her $26.16

But Bones is different.

Bones said "Hi, I WAS going to get a gift card, but I wanted a POWER size drink, and since I can't get that for free by spending the extra $25, I'm not going to buy the gift card. Please tell corporate that limiting the special to the 16 oz. size is stupid marketing."

 The girl at the counter looked at me with frustration.
"I guess aside from her, I am not the only person to say that to you today. You should definitely tell corporate they should fire the idiot who made that policy."
She said "Are you serious? You're not going to get the Gift card because of the DOLLAR?"
"That's right. I'd rather buy what I want, and maybe spend the other $25 somewhere else."

That's when she said "If I give you a POWER size, will you get the gift card?"
"Happily" I said.
And she did.

Now it seems like this story is about me "winning" something, but it's not-

The story is about a minimum-wage register clerk who took it upon herself to make the customer happy and took responsibility for HER customer's experience at the store she worked at. She didn't earn any extra money for doing that, and frankly, she'd probably get in trouble for it-

BUT I BOUGHT $25 MORE THAN I WAS GOING TO because of her initiative.

Tell the suit at corporate that I have his replacement.