A few years ago I worked an intensely stressful job where I handled hundreds of thousands of dollars (of someone else’s money) a month. I decided I needed some change. I thought if I changed my career, I would change the stress. If I would change the stress, I would change my life.

I became a massage therapist. I’d wanted to be a massage therapist long before I earned my bachelor’s degree, and I believed the idea that few other jobs could be so stress-free. I’d be allowed to work in a darkened room, with soothing music and relaxing smells all day long.

How come this lyric still weighs heavy on my chest?

I uprooted my career to a less stressful career. My job description is to decompress and relieve stress. I introduced qi-gong, yoga and meditation in my weekly (if not daily) routine. How is it that I still find myself in a place I don’t want to be? How am I still stressing? Why do I feel so stuck?

I understand that there will always be some amount of stress in one’s life, I started to think, to dig, and to ask: What is it? Why am I still in a place of high stress?

It hit me. I thought just changing my career would do it. I thought adding a maybe once- or twice-a-week routine of stress-free time would be the magic cure!

Change? Well, it can be scary. It can be daunting. It can be discouraging. But it’s coming. It’s often necessary. And it can certainly be encouraging, too.

It can also be done only halfway.

I only partially changed.

I didn’t change what I eat, what I watch, what I buy, who I spend my time with, what I spend my time doing, what I think, how I speak … I could go on listing these minor changes I didn’t even think about looking into to help lessen stress.

I’ve been saying for years that positivity breeds positivity, yet I haven’t been the most optimistic. Instead, I hold on to the concept that I often find myself some place I don’t want to be, I refuse (or I’m scared, discouraged, exhausted, ignorant) to change the place I find myself not wanting to be.

When I sat to write this blog post, I procrastinated and visited social media. And there it was. A quote. As if I needed a kick in the butt. It was along the lines of, How do you expect to get healthier if you stay in the place that’s making you sick?

Change isn’t always easy. Stress will always be there. We all feel stuck at times, and that is okay. Growth is also okay. Change is also okay.

If I want to feel better, I have to also help myself feel better.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.

The post Change is Coming and That’s Okay appeared first on Newfound.

I used to have a life but then I watched “Impractical Jokers.”

“Impractical Jokers” is a hidden camera prank show on TruTV that I watch every chance I get. I don’t watch a lot of television shows regularly but this one I watch.

It’s different from other hidden camera shows because the prank isn’t only being made on unsuspecting civilians. The hosts are being pranked simultaneously.

Allow me to explain.

The introduction to the show states, “Warning. The following program contains scenes of graphic stupidity among lifelong friends who compete to embarrass each other.”

The point of the show isn’t just to prank an unknown audience. The point of the show is to push, pull and prank each other while doing the same the audience.

The “Impractical Jokers” are a group of four forty-something friends who have known each other since high school and their television crew. Joe, Q, Murr, and Sal come up with “games” to play with the public. Sometimes they set up focus groups, waiting rooms or odd jobs where they have a group of strangers listen to presentations such as safety seminars. Sometimes they take their antics to the streets, parks, restaurants and grocery stores.

During the prank they have termed “If You Refuse, You Lose,” one (sometimes two) of the four go out into the scene (like a grocery store or cafe) to wait for instructions on what to do or say to unsuspecting strangers. No one knows what will happen, not even the hosts. The goal is to embarrass each other, hoping to make the prankster reach his boiling point and refuse the challenge so he loses the challenge.

Another prank involves one or two of the four putting together a presentation for the others. It’s a surprise presentation where the goal is to get the focus group to feel they learned something of value in the presentation or will take another class. However, not only are the slides or object of presentation a surprise to the presenter, often the slides and objects have little to nothing to do with the topic of presentation.

In both prank situations, it is entertaining for the viewers at home to watch Joe, Q, Murr, and/or Sal scramble.

To add to the challenge, the end of each episode features a punishment. Whoever faces the most losses in the series of pranks (meaning an uncompleted task, not following instructions or not getting enough votes) gets punished for losing the most. These punishments often play on the vulnerability of their friends. Sal doesn’t like germs, so often he gets punished involving typically germ-ridden things. Murr is afraid of heights, so his friends aren’t afraid of making him scale walls or sky dive. Q and Joe often get punished in ways that’ll further embarrass or inconvenience them, like using the bathroom with the door open or eating turkey legs that are strapped to clothing while speed dating. Frequent watchers may imagine these guys have faced enough punishments to face down their fears or embarrassing secrets. But also remember: sometimes the punishment is getting tattooed.

Originally called “Mission: Uncomfortable”—because for sure, this show makes us all a little uncomfortable—“Impractical Jokers” is a practical show for viewers who like to laugh.

Seasoned viewers find these four guys funny and lovable, along with their families who often make appearances on the show. Murr and Q’s parents have been involved in punishments and pranks, Sal’s parents, sister and nieces have been involved in punishments and pranks, and Joe’s sister, brother-in-law and dogs have been involved, too. As a seasoned viewer, I love to laugh with them and see their families and friends get involved as well.

It’s a practical watch for viewers who love to laugh. I even catch my mother, who isn’t subtle about how stupid she thinks the show is, laughing at their antics. Besides, they’re all handsome or charming in their own sort of way, so it’ll be worth a watch.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.

The post Punishment and “Graphic Stupidity” in “Impractical Jokers” appeared first on Newfound.

I still rank Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire in the Top Five Best Concerts I Have Ever Seen.

My father, brother and sometimes mother made it an annual tradition to see Chicago live in concert when they come to New Jersey for some family bonding paired with great music.

I grew up on what we called “oldies but goodies.” I’ve been listening to artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, The Beatles, Sir Elton John, Chicago and Billy Joel since the day I was born, knowing they’ve been around since before I was a twinkle in my parents’ eyes. While I sometimes wish I was around to see these artists in their “prime,” I consider myself fortunate to watch them play live today.

And do they still play.

It may be upsetting to think the original members aren’t all on stage anymore. Or you could say: Some members are newer and younger. However you spin it, each concert is an opportunity to see raw talent and to sing along to live versions of the songs I grew up listening to.

I am in awe of how some of the original band members are in their 70s, singing and playing their instruments as they dance and run around stage with smiles on their faces. My brother and I sing along, leaning toward each other to bemoan how tired we will be for work in the morning. The artists on stage are 40 years older but we will be tired in the morning.

It reminded me of this year’s comedy “Tag,” a movie based on a real-life group of adult friends who reunite once a year to play a childhood game. The message of the movie is spelled out early on: people don’t stop playing because they grow old, people grow old when they stop playing.

I witnessed this at the Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire show years ago and I found again at the Chicago and REO Speedwagon show in July 2018. I see it every time I see Chicago perform, whether traveling with with America (The Band) or The Doobie Brothers.

Stay young and active, my friends. Keep playing.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.

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In “What Do You Love About Haiti?” readers get to know a little more about Rusch. He travels, including time in Haiti during an earthquake. The powerful images here suggest he witnessed the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010, as Rusch states:

I’d never seen a dead body
before the earthquake. The earth
that day felt like something moving
underneath, in pursuit…
After the earthquake, I became accustomed
to the smell of death, no longer noticed it
clinging to my clothes, my skin. It became
the norm that houses should look like dioramas,
rooms exposed: staircases twisted and mangled,
kitchen tables tilting.

These words leave the reader uncomfortable yet compassionate. Indeed, uncomfortable yet compassionate is the theme throughout “Dualities.”

Issues with the narrator’s father are often present across “Dualities.” “Transitive Properties” exposes a father sexualizing his daughter, even when apologizing for sexualizing his daughter. Then in “Daddy Issues,” the narrator points out their own cliche of having an emotionally abusive father—for instance, a father who makes his young daughter grab her belly fat and tells her she was only beautiful when she was two years old—and how it had an effect on the narrator’s choice in significant others or lovers. It is shocking to hear horrific things parents can say to their children, but it isn’t too shocking to know it has a lasting effect on the child, even in adulthood. It is refreshing to see an adult analyze the past to see how they got to the present. This is the very definition of “coming of age.”

“Dualities” will keep you reading and while it may be tempting to live vicariously or play the voyeur by peaking into someone else’s sex life, these poems are more than titillation. Readers experience how these subjects grow from each experience. Rusch’s narrator gives up plenty of juicy, and sometimes painful, sex stories. In pieces like “Men Tell Me I’m Selfish” and “Querying,” a fearless voice discusses things from kissing to oral sex, and also the human growth that comes from sexual experience.

Pop culture injects a sense of fun into this work. “Erotic Jealousy” mentions those magazine or online quizzes we take to find out stuff we just had to know (or didn’t really need to know) about ourselves, and how sometimes those quizzes just don’t get us or give us appropriate answer choices.

“Facebook Knows” talks about what we all talk about. The advertisements we get really delve into our personal lives: what we search, what we talk about, and somehow what we think about.

I am not out, not even to myself, and yet a page for FtMs seeking to build muscle mass appears in my suggestions.

Safe to say, you can expect some entertainment or laughs in this emotional read. Still, growth and duality remain the focus of this collection. The narrator struggles with identity, sexuality and gender. This is a peek inside the dueling mind with dual personalities. On being born female with heterosexuality a foregone societal conclusion, and experience with bisexuality. Readers are made to to wonder masculine gender identity is a good fit. Then, unsure if it even matters. Does it matter?

“Dualities” won’t give us and easy answer but it also won’t disappoint. Read “Dualities” to interrogate what actually matters.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.

The post Beyond “Dualities” in Poetry by Jason Phoebe Rusch appeared first on Newfound.

“Oh wise cousin of mine, tell me the secrets of life and love and eternal contentedness…”

I replied with a few laughs. That was the end of the conversation.

My flesh and blood reached out to me, and I laughed.

I laughed for a few reasons. I found the syntax and timing of the text message to be interesting and a little funny. I wasn’t sure if she really wanted my advice on the secrets of love, life and contentedness, so I laughed.

I also had not a single clue on how to reply, so I laughed.

Weeks later, I still haven’t responded to the request. We have spoken since, but not about anyhing as deep.

It’s been weighing on me. I want to reply. I want to share my view. I want to give my opinion So, here it is, or at least some of it:

I’m not an expert on love, life or contentedness, but I am an explorer of them. I spend a great deal of my time of this planet checking out the places, people, and things around me.

Love.

Love is a tricky thing. It’s an emotion, thus it’s going to change. You won’t always love your partner. You won’t always love your friends. You won’t always love your family. Heck, you won’t always love yourself. I think that’s the first thing we all have to realize and accept. Love is just like hate, anger, sadness, happiness. It is a changable feeling that sometimes we cannot control.

You will sometimes love someone and sometimes loathe them. To maintain a relationship takes more than this flighty emotion, the thing we call love. It takes dedication and the acceptance of knowing ones emotions are set to change. However, the dedication to the relationship, to growth, to partnership, to goals these are what makes it continue.

I believe in accepting your emotions for how they present themselves, expressing the emotions you deem necessary in a safe way and safely receiving the emotions that are expressed to you. We all yell, scream, cheer, laugh and sigh at one point or another. Accept that. Dedicate yourself. Move on.

Life.

Like the two others, this topic is too complicated for a text, a phone call or blog post.

The cliche is there. What is the meaning of life? I don’t know. I’m just another thing floating around this planet doing the thing until I no longer can do the thing, and then who knows.

I will just say this about life: It’s a roller coaster, with ups and downs of emotions, people, animals, adventures and boredom. I don’t advise anyone to waste it. Binge watch those shows. Take that trip across the planet. Pick your nose and fling it. Do what you have to do to walk another day. If you’re happy, be happy. If you’re sad, be sad. Be true to yourself, but don’t squander your time here with the creatures who surround you.

Contentedness.

This is my favorite. I have spent my adult life hunting for this sucker, even after I’ve found it.

I love this word more than “happiness.” Contentment is my goal, even after I’ve reached a level on contentment. It’s kind of like relationships or love and other emotions in the way that it’s changeable and you have to be active in it and dedicated to it.

I view contentedness in a multitude of ways that boil down into two main parts.

Positivity and activity.

Find people, places and things that promote positivity. A positive attitude, a positive person, and a positive place will breed positivity. Perhaps not in the first moment, maybe not in the second, but in time positivity will be in you if it surrounds you.

Find things that make you happy. I don’t necessarily mean tangible objects, people, or animals (sometimes those help and sometimes those hinder). I also mean finding activities that excite, inspire, bring happiness to you. We need variety. Go to a zoo, fly a kite, watch a movie, meditate.

Do things.

Keep your body and mind moving in positive surroundings and you might just find yourself in a place of contentedness. Once you reach the place, keep doing it.

Love, life, and contentedness aren’t a one-time thing. They are all unstable. They all change. They all need growth. They all take dedication.

Dedicate to yourself and then dedicate to others.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.

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Michalski has a way of taking a common action or image and describing it in a way that feels new. When Michalski has the main character greet her brother in an embrace, it happens as, “Sam stands up and touches her hands lightly to his back. He smells of the staleness of last night’s bourbon, underarm sweat, cigarettes, and the cheap body spray he has used in an attempt to cover it all up.”

She skillfully depicts the scene, allowing the reader to feel as if they were in the room or at the lake.

I found the story relatable (though of course this is my own bias). The main character Sam is a writer (!) who comes from quite a dysfunctional family. Whether the reader is a writer or not, most of us can relate to having a family that argues, even when on vacation. Sam’s family is also facing plights like mental illness and addictions, and still this familial bond, no matter how dysfunctional, is relatable. This allows for the reader to easily make a connection to the characters compelling us to have a vested interest in what happens to them.

Sam finds herself struggling with romance, especially in the shadow of family traumas. I can relate to her on that, even if we don’t share the same traumas. Needless to say, this was different from other books I’ve read where the main character was a writer or creative type.

One of Sam’s thoughts when facing the possibility of her two-year romantic partner proposing to her stuck with me. It details items of care on a daily list of things to do for oneself (like brushing teeth and smiling) and takes into consideration if you add another human or two into the list.

“She had made it this far because marriage was one item too many. She could not make it through every day and have to attend to Michael, attend to their children. She could spend two four-hour evenings during the week, every weekend, with him, but she could not spend every day with him. It was too much time to account for, too much time during which she’d rather sit in the dark and wish she were dead. She decided to sleep on it.”

Making your own day go smoothly is daunting enough on its own, especially if you’re struggling with illness, addictions or family heartaches. Adding another person makes the already overwhelming situation unmanageable. I have often thought similarly to Sam.

“The Summer She Was Under Water” gives the reader an interesting opportunity to read two stories intertwined. The reader gets sucked into the lives of Sam, her ex, her family, and her friend from mostly Sam’s perspective while reading a story Sam wrote. The reader gets to enjoy these two fiction stories in tandem as a story within a story. Spoiler alert: Sam’s writing project is about a pregnant man. As the reader, I found myself wanting to know what happens to both Sam and her fictional, pregnant male character.

Beyond the ways I saw myself reflected in these pages, there are some interesting twists and subtle hints at the disturbing that have the reader on the edge of their seats, not wanting to put the book down. We just have to know Sam’s thoughts and secrets.

Let yourself be drawn in and under with “The Summer She Was Under Water.”

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.

The post Michalski’s “The Summer She Was Under Water,” a Refreshing Read appeared first on Newfound.

The one who sticks out the most is someone who I had my senior year of high school, and it wasn’t the thumbsucking habit-breaker. Everyone who went to my Catholic high school had him senior year. It was technically called Morality.

He is a gruff man with a rough exterior, a raspy voice and no room in his memory for student names, but he taught us real life lessons. In fact, in my early 20s, I would still get in touch with him to get some words of wisdom and advice.

One particular lesson he spoke of in this morality class strikes me just as hard today as it did the day he taught it in class.

“Feelings are important. We can’t always compare situations, but we relate to each other because of the feelings behind the situations,” he said. I even remember the exact words he used to drive home his point, 10 years later.

He said, “Whether a parent intentionally leaves their child to be with another family or a parent passes away, the child still suffers a loss of a parent. Whether the parent who is lost is dead or living, both children in this situation feels the sense of loss. That is what is important when understanding each other. We cannot say that one child suffered more or less because the particular loss. That isn’t what is important. The importance is that both children lost a parent and need to be consoled.”

I often refer back to this sentiment, and others he spoke of, while dealing with adult situations. I recently caught myself referring to this particular sentiment while reading books.

While reading, some of us might try to relate to, sympathize with or empathize with the main character or supporting characters. In the past six weeks I find myself really, over-the-top really, relating to the characters in every book that I’ve picked up.

I just finished “Cowboy Wants a Baby” by Jo Leigh and “The Summons” by John Grisham.

I found myself relating to the characters in each one of these novels, subconsciously channeling my high school morality teacher.

Grisham’s book is about what a son does with the will, estate, and found money after his father dies, which involves a brother who has a drug addiction. While I cannot personally relate to immediate family members having drug addictions, I found myself relating to the main character not based on situations, but on the feelings.

Sometimes I don’t jive with my family but am stuck in close quarters with them—sometimes laughing and sometimes dealing with pent up resentment. I, too, have no idea what I would do with my father’s estate and struggle to share it with my dopey brother. My imagination helps me understand another person’s plight when I imagine our situations are similar. I, too, have a father who is loved by a community like Grisham’s character of The Judge was. But I related to these characters based not only on situations, but on the feelings behind the situations.

“Cowboy Wants a Baby” was especially fun to relate to: Who wouldn’t want to fall in love with a handsome, successful cowboy?

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre,

The post Teaching and Learning Empathy appeared first on Newfound.

Months later, I realized I received more than I expected.

I am glad these free writing events are happening. I get a chance to read other people’s work and help them express themselves and see their work in different ways. I am also able to have poetry I have written (and sometimes feel stuck on) read and critiqued by like-minded individuals. By doing this, I have reworked weak pieces into stronger pieces with the help of workshop attendees.

This is an amazing personal gain. To have a piece of poetry that was stale, stuck and not at its potential read by others is a wonderful gift to receive. The gifts I’ve received go beyond this this, in fact.

I have also been able to watch other people’s writing grow. I have had a number of attendees express hesitation about sharing their work. They have attended one workshop without sharing and then come to another and share. This is beautiful. I have had a few attendees come explaining their art isn’t writing, but they have an appreciation for art. They first observe, then try writing pieces and sharing them next time. This is truly wonderful to watch.

This month’s workshop hit me hard in all of the right ways. Not only did a mixture of the above happen, but something more, something even deeper happened. People shared things that were deep and personal to them through pieces, discussing life, work, the mind, and trauma. Each work reached each reader a little differently, but many related to each other. Relating to one another is an encouraging gift. Along with this, it was said that these workshops allowed people a safe place for them to just be there. We provided people with a safe place to be. I was allowed to watch people express their work, relate to other’s work, encourage work and critique work all while feeling safe.

Not only do some people have a need to view and express themselves with art, but everyone needs a safe place.

This is a great gift to receive through these workshops. I certainly received more than I expected to get.

Thanks to all who allowed for these to gifts to be given. Thanks for the support.

For those considering running a workshop: Do it. Libraries are nice places to start.

For those wanting to attend a community writing workshop, I hope there are easily found workshops in your area. If there aren’t, consider starting your own. And refer to above.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre,

Cover Photo by “My Life Through A Lens” on Unsplash

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When I was 11 years old, adoption brought one of the most important people in my life to me: my cousin. She is the closest person I have to a younger sister. I watched her grow up, from pushing her in a carriage and changing her diapers to hearing about college, grades and prom. She recently turned 18, which is mind-boggling to me as I remember going to court to watch her officially become a part of my family on June 8, 2000. Now I watch her on the courts being a star basketball player.

We have fought with each other, laughed together and traveled the States as a family. We have shared food, clothes, stories and fights, like all close family members.

I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It happened all because of adoption.

I have seen another side of adoption as well. This time last year, a friend of mine and her long-term significant other decided to give their daughter up for an open adoption to a wonderful couple who also had a previous connection with adoption. They lived across the country. The open adoption gave my friend the option of receiving photos and updates of their daughter through the adoption agency.

Adoption can be seen as something not easily understood or easily talked about, but as someone who has seen different sides of it, I know it is important to discuss. It can be confusing and emotional for all involved, especially for the children being adopted and the parents giving their children up for adoption. It is important to discuss adoption to promote adopting children in need of a loving home. It is also important to discuss because the people involved need support and understanding.

For me, it is easy to talk about adoption and to say that adoption is a gift. I have seen positive and negative sides. It brought my family together. It gave us another person to love. It is surrounded in love. The parents I know gave their daughter up for adoption out of love. My friend felt in her heart that another loving family would be able to provide her child with a better life than she could. Was it painful? Yes. It was truly a labor of love. It was the hardest decision she had to make, but she made it out of love. I cannot speak to the mother who gave my cousin up for adoption, but I am positive it was the hardest decision she would have to make. And I am positive she made it out of love.

I find it encouraging to know that there is valuable and accessible support for adoption. In 1996, Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell released a children’s book where the main character was adopted. I remember Tell Me Again About The Night I Was Born being staple reading at my aunt’s house.

Our family showed support for adoption in ways beyond children’s bedtime storybooks. We decided to tell my cousin right away that she was adopted. At a young age, my cousin cleverly made the connection that our stray dog turned into house dog, Cinnamon, was in the same boat as her: adopted. They’ve had a special bond ever since. My aunt decided to celebrate what is called “Gotcha Day,” or the day my cousin first came into her house and stayed.

I believe biology is important. I think families who are related by blood have a connection because of the relation. I feel that with my own family. I also believe knowing family health history is important. That said, I am a firm believer that biological relationships are not the end all, be all. I have blood relatives who want absolutely nothing to do with me, and I can comfortably live my life without them. And I have an adoptive cousin who I couldn’t imagine my life without.

If you are a mother, father, or other family member in a situation where adoption might be an option, understand that it is difficult. Know that there is support for you. You don’t have to do it alone, even if your friends and/or family aren’t being as supportive or helpful as you’d like. Even within the choice of adoption, there are options. Some families encourage open adoption. Some families want their adopted family members to have access to health records or to one day meet again. Some families want the biological parents to get updates on how their child is doing. And there is no wrong option for you to choose. Remember, there are support groups who meet online and in person. You are never alone unless you choose to be.

On the other side, if you or your loved ones are looking to make an addition to the family, deeply consider adoption. There are so many people out there who need loving homes. You can provide that loving home, and I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theater.

The post On Adoption appeared first on Newfound.

On October 1, 2017, I was fortunate enough to score a 10th row center seat to his book tour for Believe Me. This book is a memoir of love, death, and jazz chickens—that’s the subtitle, after all.

The book tour event featured readings from the book, a slide show presentation filled with still shots of baby Izzard up to the present day, videos, and of course, some stand up comedy. He ended with questions from the audience.

It was interesting to see Izzard this way, sharing his personal experiences: from the difficult death of his mother at a young age to life at a boarding school and finding gum to chew in bushes (saving one piece for as long as he could, because buying gum was too expensive for him). He recalled how he started as a street entertainer and how he is running marathons (27 marathons in 27 days).

I learned a lot about this man, more than I could ever gather from the jokes he tells on stage or the acting rolls he plays.

I have admired his wit and his message from the first moment I saw him perform Dress to Kill. One of the first things you’ll notice about Izzard on screen or on stage is his clothing choice. In this 1999 standup special he spoke openly about his identity as a transvestite. He identified as a man while also enjoying wearing feminine clothing from a young age. During his book reading, he shared his first experience wearing women’s clothing in public in his early 20s. He said he was scared, but he had found an LGBTQ group near where he was living. When he met with one of the members of group for lunch, he found the encouragement to go out in public dressed the way he wanted to dress.

According to Izzard, he now identifies as transgender, or a “lesbian kind of guy.” He likes to dress in any kind of clothes, and just so happens to like women. He played a video of him getting his nails done while he talked about how people should just be people and love each other. He said, “I just happen to like women. It just happened that way.” It’s just that simple. People love who they love and are attracted to who they are attracted to.

During the book reading, he encouraged anyone who was nervous about coming out to reach out to others in their area for support. He shared his own strategy of being assertive to mitigate strangers’ reaction to his gender presentation. To bring a little comedy into it, he acted out a scenario where strangers would give him off looks while he wore lipstick and heels. He’d respond with a loud, proud voice. Izzard would exclaim, “Nice weather we are having, but I hear rain next week.” He calls it “aggressive politeness.” He mimicked shocked looks but slow acceptance visible by facial expression and verbal acknowledgment on weather reports.

I was so impressed with Izzard that when I was able to meet him after the event, I hate to admit, I was an awe-struck fan. I took the opportunity to let him know outside the venue, where he was meeting fans, how beautiful he was. He’s as lovely in person as he is on stage.

Then I blabbed, “And your quads are really nice.” Which they are. I noticed it while watching the pictures from the marathons, and Eddie? You have really muscular thighs. It’s a compliment from someone who just studied anatomy and physiology and became a massage therapist. He smiled, handed me my ticket he just signed for me, and walked away. He didn’t call security, so that’s a plus.

It was wonderful to support Eddie Izzard. He is a talented actor, a hilarious comedian, a beautiful face, and an all around nice person, who just happens to have very nice quadriceps.

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theater.

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