Happy Thanksgiving

I'm sitting here in my Queens apartment watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I am so blessed to have you in my life.

Tuesday I was hanging out with old friends in town for the holidays. And even though it'd been 3 years, some of them still wore the same coat...including me! I had just noticed and Mary said, "well you too." I guess so. It felt good to know that even though years had passed, some things never change.

I included a link to Otters Holding Hands. Turn down the video sound and turn up your favorite song and "ahhhh". Otters Holding Hands

I wish you a Thanksgiving Day filled with gratitude, love and delicious food. And next week I'll start my 25 Days of Christmas in New York.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Stacy

Who Else Wants to Feel Great Indefinitely?

Do you ever feel like you've been working on something forever but you're just getting started?

I just finished a 7 day detox: smoothies, juice and soup; fruits and vegetables only; no solid foods. The first day was tough but after the caffeine withdraw it was cake, I mean carrot.

Now that I'm finished, I'm not able to let go. I feel healthy, light and attached to my own body. This morning I made another smoothie for breakfast. And I plan to keep the juices and homemade soups coming.

When I got back from Scotland I felt the same way, like I'd just started. I've been working on this show since its original concept in 2005. I thought for sure with all this work I was close to the end of my journey. But I realize now, I've just scratched the surface. This weekend, I'll be hosting a panel discussion to find new inspiration for the project. And in the spirit of the Power of Now, we'll just see where that leads.

Oh I forgot to mention, I'm also in a short comedy called Hard Sparkle. My character, Annie is a famous television actress who's on her death bed, figuratively (she just lost the Emmy to Susan Lucci) and literally (you'll have to see for yourself).

On Saturday at the panel discussion, I'll be talking with Hard Sparkle's playwright, J. Stephen Brantley about what inspired him to use this death theme in his writing along with other surprise guests. We'll have coffee and healthy munchies. It should be a good time.

I wish you all a safe and happy week in fall. And thank you so much for following me on my journey.

-Stacy

Facebook Event

"There is the potential for relief (feeling better) indefinitely. In other words, we do not know of any ending point to the amount of clarity, and adventure, and joy, and Well-Being-it is an unlimited thing."
- Abraham-Hicks

Why Moms are Brilliant and Hilarious

Oh man, I had the best falafel kefta sandwich on Saturday. I can still taste it. I never knew how much I loved Middle Eastern food until I met Anwar. He and his family are culinary geniuses. I went to their café to pick out our food for Wednesday night. It’s going to be spectacular. And don’t take out my word for it. Read their review in the NYTimes.

I am so blessed to have two extraordinary moms in my life. My mom came to visit me my last week in Edinburgh. Thank God for Mom! After 20 shows, it was a much needed breath of fresh air. You should have seen her going up to people on the Royal Mile plugging my show. “5:30pm, funniest show in the festival.” And it worked too!!!

My mom can’t make the best of show but I really hope you can join me for this awesome event. The shows are amazing, the hummus is delicious and you guys rock!

OMG, I just remembered something hilarious that happened at Ben Lerman's show. There was this crazy lady who snuck in from upstairs and shouted “Don’t F#%^$&% touch me”. Ben’s response was deadpan, “Mom, have you been drinking?” I was dying. Honestly I thought it was staged, it was so on cue. But the woman actually was crazy and had snuck downstairs. Ah, Edinburgh was a magical place.

I can’t wait to bring all these great shows back to New York. www.edfringeNYC.com

-Stacy

One Reason New Yorkers are the Best

So did I tell you that when I was in Edinburgh I only hung out with New Yorkers? I know it sounds a little close-minded but I'm the same person that always orders Snickers cheesecake when I got to the Cheesecake Factory in Louisville. Because it's the best! Just like the New Yorkers I met in Scotland.

There's this really cool "mountain" in Edinburgh called Arthurs Seat. It looks out over the incredibly beautiful city and I guess it's shaped like a seat once you get to the top. So I climbed to the top with Anwar and Michael I on the only sunny day we had all month. There was a bagpiper playing at the bottom of the hill and you could hear him all the way at the top. The ultimate Scottish experience, I know. But that's not even the best part. On our way down, we spotted Jessy Delfino dancing around the bagpiper in a hot pink dress and silver heels. She was making a music video for "My Pussy is Magic". Kids, old people, everyone was standing around laughing hysterically and enjoying her fancy pants dance moves. It was hilarious!!!

New Yorkers are the best. That's why I decided to throw a big New York party with all my new friends I met in Scotland. It's going to be so much fun. Jessica will be there, Ben and his ukulele, Vicki and her lady bug wings. I'll even be doing part of my funeral show.

Did you know I performed 26 days in a row with no breaks? Most shows did too. Crazy!!!!

I really can't tell you how grateful I am to share this amazing talent with you. I'll bring the wine. Anwar will be making some food. We'll have Scottish trivia. Next Wednesday is going to be such a fun night and I can't wait to see you all there. www.edfringeNYC.com

-Stacy

Review: Stacy Mayer: The Funeralogues

Review: Stacy Mayer: The Funeralogues
Louise Ridley

To the solemn strains of organ music, you walk into the Masonic lodge, take a pew and stare at the coffin. The hushed audience feels an odd mixture of reverence and anticipation – how’s comedy going to fit into this?

The answer is sitting amongst us in the form of Stacy Mayer, professional funeral crasher. In an interactive solo piece incorporating extracts from eulogies, she guides us through her lifelong obsession with the ritual of death, from her first Barbie funeral to a surreal ending twist.

The presence of a coffin makes the air thick with taboos, and laughter forbidden but powerful. American Mayer captures the direct humour of TV shows like Six Feet Under perfectly, confronting death and what it means to be remembered with unblinking perception.

There’s also a touch of Tina Fey in there as Mayer embodies other kooky characters she’s met along the way. They are amusing caricatures which make the adult Stacy seem that bit more neurotic, playing with character like her younger self plays with Barbie dolls.

Mayer’s child-like wonder is endearing, and creates an inquisitive show that is brave but never morose. In fact, it’s often moving, especially a striking description of the tiny routines used by a soldier to cope with telling families their loved-ones have died.

She’s strongest when improvising with the audience, and uses the site-specific nature of The Funeralogues to break down the barrier between viewers and performer by moving between us, making awkward but eager conversation. It’s a testament to her that we are surprisingly responsive to questions about if we’d considered what could be read at our own funeral.

The script isn’t perfect: transition between audience interaction and scripted episodes isn’t entirely smooth, and the odd anecdote rambles on and could be cut. But it’s one of the most innovative experiences I’ve had at the Fringe, with an impact that stays with you long after the service has finished.

4/5

Stacy Mayer: The Funeralogues is at C cubed until 31 August, 17:30.


Louise Ridley
Freelance journalist with Time Out London, The Scotsman and The Evening Standard

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

July 26, 1915 - May 18, 2009

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji), the leading teacher of Ashtanga yoga who is credited with bringing the practice to a mass audience and introducing it to the West, has died. He was 94.

Considered one of the most physically demanding of yoga practices, Ashtanga presents six increasingly challenging sequences of poses. A student must show proficiency in one sequence before going on to the next. Only a small number of practitioners have achieved every level.

"If we practice the science of yoga, which is useful to the entire human community and which yields happiness both here and hereafter - if we practice it without fail, we will then attain physical, mental and spiritual happiness and our minds will flood towards the Self." - Guruji

Jois is survived by his son Manju, daughter Saraswathi Rangaswamy and two grandchildren, all of whom are yoga teachers.