The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

Play Care Is Tops For Learning And Fun!

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playground1. Warm and nurturing educational and positive socialization environment for ages 2 months-5 years

2. Flexible schedule–choice and number of days

3. Extended hours available–P.M. classes, early morning drop off, lunch hour

4. Excellent teacher/student ratio with small 
classroom size

5. Extensive, well maintained facilities, fenced in large, shaded playground

6. Music and creative movement/yoga classes as part of the regular curriculum

7. Enrichment classes–for example: Art Around the World, Adventures with Dr. Suess

8. Encourages cooperative learning through parent participation at school

9. Special Events Days: for example: Pajama Days, Hat Days, Two By Two Zoo, Ranger Rick, Maritime Aquarium, etc.

10. Licensed by NY Office of Children and Family Services

How Social Media will Kill you…(if you let it!)

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eve_marx By Eve Marx

There’s been a lot of buzz about the destructive powers of social media and it being a threat to civilization. Social media can wreak havoc. If you don’t believe me, just follow the tweets of any Fox News anchor or Bret Easton Ellis. Facebook, which for years seemed so benign, has been targeted as a scourge and the ultimate time waster. But with social media so ingrained into my daily life (I need those Real Housewife updates and checking to see who’s retweeted me), I do wonder how badly social media is hurting me. Is it as deleterious to my health as, say, heroin, or is it just nasty, like a cupcake addiction?

A friend allowed her own social media habits have made her lazy. Hours frittered away on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have resulted in a laundry pile up. She no longer finishes books and excercises less than she used to. 
I get it. Entire mornings have vaporized for me, spent trolling entertainment sites to see who wore what on the red carpet.

Social media is so huge it has its own hashtag. Bashing social media is now a popular pastime. One powerful social media site rhetorically asked if our on-line habits are turning adults into tweens. Duh! My own I.Q. has circled the drain as my communication skills devolve to the point where my go-to words are “omg,” “tmi,” “brb,” and “lol,” for everything. Thanks to Twitter, I’ve mastered reducing all my thoughts into 140 characters. But has it ruined me, or, more importantly, civilization? Let’s investigate.

Getting news via social media means I watch less TV. On the surface, this sounds good, right? Less time watching the antics of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” but also less time with intelligent programming, like CNN. Does following Perez Hilton on Twitter count as news information?

Thanks to social media, instead of phoning, I’d rather text or FB inbox. OK, but does it matter? Besides your old Aunt Betty, who talks on the phone?

Is there any point discussing an important topic when you can send a link? It’s so much easier to let someone else sell your position on say, gun control, for you, isn’t it? Plus you’re spared the drudgery of research.

If I find three articles to support my political leanings, that means I’m right, right? And the Huffington Post is the ultimate authority on almost anything. Right?

Social media promotes hypochondria. Addicted to webmd.com and mayoclinic.com? Shhh, me, too. Those gruesome close ups of eczema, rosacea, and the heartbreak of psoriasis? I’m riveted. When you’ve got the web, who needs a dermatologist?

Thanks to social media, I’m a recluse. Once upon a time I took the train into the city. I went to museums. I went to galleries. Now I go nowhere and just tool around the web. Oh, btw, my rear end is also fatter. The upside is thanks to social media I know having a big behind is good because every woman wants to look like the Kardashians who sport their  “donkey booty.”

I used to look things up; now I Google. Name one person who uses the library or even a dictionary anymore. Is Wikipedia a reliable source? Hmm.

Social media can lead to becoming extremely judgmental. Social media all have a feature telling you what your friends are reading/sharing/viewing.. Now you know all your friends’ louche secrets. How can that be good?

I used to have friends. Now my friends are all virtual. It’s comforting when you post you have the flu and a dozen friendly folk post right back, “Aw, feel better!” But will they knock on your door and deliver chicken soup? Not really.

Beddington coverSocial media undercuts, even trumps, my most intimate moments. The true definition of intercourse includes conversation, a back and forth, a sharing. Experts say having TV in the bedroom spoils intimacy. Now bring your tablet or iPhone into bed and watch what happens. My guess is that unless you’re watching Andy Cohen Live and tweeting him, nothing.

Eve Marx is a sex and relationship expert, journalist, and author. Her most recent novel is BEDDINGTON PLACE: Watch Your Back, Cover Your Tracks, is available on Amazon.com in print and Kindle versions.

Trade Secrets of Stand-up Comics

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authorBy John DeBellis

Whether you’re a would-be stand-up comic, a public speaker or just telling jokes to friends many of these tips will help you get bigger laughs:

10. Don’t be too audience conscious, which means do not grade yourself by your audience’s reaction. There are times I’d be working to a tired audience, or one that’s way too drunk, or one that really likes me, but are listeners rather than laughers. Woody Allen said that some of his best sets were ones where he didn’t get many laughs, but afterwards audience members told him how much they enjoyed his show.

9. Whenever possible, we always video recorded our sets and watched them no matter how painful, especially the bad ones. This way we could compare what worked and didn’t worked. Sometimes, the difference in getting a laugh or not is just a syllable or an added word, a look, or you waited just a beat too long in the delivery of the punch line or set up.

8. If I’m rolling alone, getting steady laughs and suddenly a joke doesn’t get a laugh (it’ll feel like an hour of silence), I never comment on it. Most of the time, the audience won’t even notice. There have been times, when a prolonged silence caused me to bring attention to it, but I always made sure what I said was funny. The audience wants the comic to be in control.

7. I was taught never to use vulgarity to deal with a tough situation, like a heckler or an unusual interruption. I’ve worked through black outs and fights in the audience. It’s best to stay clean and original. By closing off the easy avenues it opens up better avenues. You learn to think creatively on your feet and find smarter ways to turn a bad situation into a good one.

6. I was told early on from comedians like Elayne Boosler and Richard Lewis to watch other comics–especially your peers–not to emulate, but to see what works or doesn’t work and to help your fellow comics with advice or even a punch line. It’s one of the fastest ways to learn.

5. For comics it’s important to let the laughs breathe and not to step on them by going into your next joke too quickly. At the same time you also don’t want to wait too long and leave too much space between jokes. Finding the correct timing every time comes with experience.

4. This can also apply to public speakers. Don’t worry about hecklers. Most young comics, unnecessarily, fear them more than any single thing. You naturally learn to deal with hecklers as you gain confidence. You’ll relax more and become even more confident; at that point hecklers can even become tools rather than hindrances.

3. Don’t be afraid of failure. This can apply to other walks of life, but it’s imperative for comedians. Most newbie comics almost always bomb. Although it’s tough to stand there (you feel your life forces being squeezed out of your sweating paws) and not get laughs, you have to realize that bombing helps you determine what’s funny or not. Because of the pain you build a tough crust that will give you the strength to turn a bad audience into a good one.

bookjacket2. For a comedian, it’s important to go on stage as much as possible–even if there’s only one person in the audience. It is still stage time and subconsciously it counts. From a wide range of situations we develop the tools we need in order to be a good comedian. In most cases stage persona takes time to develop. Jerry Seinfeld says it takes ten years.

1. As in many professions, growth as a stand-up comic comes in stages. I’ll be having great sets, and then suddenly I’ll bomb for a week or more. All that meant was that I was between levels ready to break through a wall to advance to the next stage in my development. Knowing that can be the difference between quitting, or becoming a success. I was taught by Rodney Dangerfield never to compare my growth to that of other comics. We all learn at our own pace.

John DeBellis’ STANDUP GUYS: A Generation of Laughs is a comic’s memoir that puts the reader on and off stage with a unique group of young comedians: Larry David, Richard Lewis, Richard Belzer, Bill Maher, Gilbert Gottfried, Elayne Boosler, Rita Rudner, Larry Miller, Joe Piscopo, Robert Wuhl, Paul Reiser, Jerry Seinfeld and several of the most neurotic, lovable characters who survived and thrived due to talent, passion, and, most importantly, camaraderie. It’s a memoir rich in humor, pathos, and insight.

STANDUP GUYS

“A Generation of Laughs”

John DeBellis

johndebellis@gmail.com

201-286-4083
www.920spot.com

Twitter@misterpitiful

 

 

 

 

Heads Up, High School Seniors!

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anna bennetWhat I Wish I Knew Before Leaving  for College

By Anna Bennett

1. Don’t change your Facebook name. Change your Facebook.

Sorry, but changing your name from “Katie Hartman” to “Kay T Hearts” won’t protect you from college admissions officers creeping on your profile. Instead of changing your name, clean up your profile. During the admissions process, tighten your privacy settings (as you should anyway) and get rid of any photos you wouldn’t want an admissions person to see (i.e., red cups, skimpy clothing, looking intoxicated, etc.). Be extra safe by hiding your tagged photos altogether and making your profile and cover photos the only ones available. Enable the “View as” tool, which is on the drop-down menu below your cover photo on the right.

2. Blowing the money you made from your part-time job = BAD decision.

In most cases, living away from home means managing your own bank account. As a high school student, a part-time job may mean pocket change in addition to the support you get from your parents. In college, there are ample amounts of expenses you’ll have that you would have never considered before. So, although it may be tough, try not to blow your extra cash on frivolous items. When your bank account is dry and you’re sick of bothering your parents for more money, you’ll appreciate the cushion.

3. Your group of friends may be completely different than what you’ve set up for yourself.

It may be comforting to solidify a small circle of friends months prior to school, but there’s no need to go over the top with it. The likelihood is that you’ll get together with this crew for the first couple weekend nights, but they won’t remain your “crew” for long. Starting a Facebook message thread with a bunch of people you’ve only met once at an NYC meet-up in no way guarantees a life-long friend.

4. Few professors will get to 
know you.

Unless you make them know you. In college, especially as a freshman, you may be in lectures as large as 500 students. It’s impractical for professors to know all their students on a personal level. Knowing this, it is up to you to make yourself stand out. Some helpful tips: introduce yourself on the first day, sit towards the front, raise your hand often, and most importantly, utilize office hours—if you seek help on assignments, you may just get an A for effort…

5. Getting involved is the best way to find your place.

A great way to get comfortable in college is join some type of organization, whether it’s an intramural sports team, Greek life, student government, or literally anything (my school has a hilarious Quidditch team—and yes, they run around on brooms). Joining something makes a large, intimidating school feel small and intimate, and doesn’t hurt your resume, either.

6. Your wardrobe is irrelevant.

While high school may have been a fashion show, none of that means anything anymore in college. Spending absurd amounts of money on a brand new wardrobe is pointless. You’ll be living with many students your age, which means there will be plenty of closets to raid.

7. Keep a calendar.

There’s a reason for “syllabus week” other than slacking off and partying with all your new friends. Although classes may not be deep into material just yet, this is a chance to get organized. College schedules can get confusing and jam-packed, so it’s best to write important dates ASAP to avoid stress later on.

8. Read the e-mails your college sends you.

They may seem copious and spam-like, but try to at least skim the e-mails your college sends you. Often, they contain important information (that may hurt you academically if overlooked) and awesome opportunities, like a career fair or scholarships you may apply for.  Missed e-mails = missed chances.

9. Don’t go home every other 
weekend.

Especially during the first few months of school, everyone is on their game when it comes to making friends. Friendships form very quickly. As homesick as you may be during this transition, you don’t want to miss out on bonding experiences with people who could become your life-long friends.

10. Self-motivation is KEY.

Nobody is going to hold your hand–your happiness and success all depends on you. Sitting and waiting for good luck to come along isn’t going to cut it. DO something instead.

Anna Bennett, Greeley Class of 2010, is a communications major in her junior year at University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Great Reasons To Enroll Your Child

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Jennies School for Little Children

1. Sunny, modern, and secure school designed to intrigue and motivate young children.

christmas 2012 at Jennie's 044

2. To develop greater confidence and
a love of learning.

3. Accredited teachers with a passion for educating  preschoolers.

4. To enhance social skills, while making new friends.

5. Music, movement, and science programs by 
outside specialists.

christmas 2012 at Jennie's 0156. Gardening: from germination to harvesting to cooking.

7. K-Link:  Unique pre-K program for early 5’s.

8. “Handwriting Without Tears” development program.

9. After-school enrichment classes.

christmas 2012 at Jennie's 01210. Mini summer camp: art, gardening and water play on our extensive fenced-in playground.