Remembering Jonathan Curtsinger

~ Tara Sitser ~ 7 Comments

All of my memories of the more than 40 years of friendship gifted to me by Jonathan Curtsinger are filled with his open-hearted generosity, talent, and cheerful spirit.

We met in 1982 backstage at the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles.  He and I were the newest cast members in a production of Evita that had been running with the same company of 42 performers for the past two years.  Working in a theatrical production that runs for a long time tends to form bonds between the performers in the show.  But Jonathan and I were the new kids and hadn’t yet found our place in the family.

When I say we met backstage it wasn’t like we had time for a formal introduction.  When you are a replacement for a performer who is leaving an existing company, you get taught your part separately and then watch from backstage for a couple of shows before you are ready to perform.  The night I met Jonathan I hadn’t actually met anyone in the company except the dance captain who taught me my part in the show.  What I couldn’t have known, as I stood by myself in the wings stage right watching my first live performance, tracking in my head the roles that I would be taking over the next day, was that it had been only a day since the death of Jonathan’s mother.

At end of the first act number “Peron’s Latest Flame” Jonathan’s exited into the wing where I was standing.  He had just finished a scene in a thoroughly professional manner, singing in his beautifully trained, operatic basso voice making it through the number without a hitch.  As he stepped behind the stage curtains, out of sight of the audience,  he made a beeline right for me, threw his arms around me and burst into tears. I wouldn’t know the why of it until later. But you couldn’t help but know that this human being needing comforting.

I still hadn’t had the chance to actually introduce myself to him, but for the next several days Jonathan got hugs from me whenever he needed them.

It was not the average start to a friendship but it was filled with sincerity and gratitude from both us and it wasn’t long before Jonathan started calling himself my “adopted big brother”.  And, let me tell you here and now, he lived up to his chosen title! 

Over the years I saw one example after another of Jonathan’s caring and generosity extended to everyone within his circles.  He was a man with a very big voice and a very big heart who gave of himself in every way that he could.

One more cherished anecdote about Jonathan:  December is a busy month for birthdays.   Many years after our backstage meeting, two of my fellow December birthday friends and I decided to throw ourselves a collective birthday party.  Between the three of us we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 guests. Jonathan was there and so was my mother. Over the years Jonathan had met my mother just a few times.

I was busy with hostess duties. So when Jonathan spotted my mother he approached on his own and said to her, “You remember me? I’m your adopted son.” To which my mother said, in her native Brooklyn accent, “Yeah, sure. So how come you never call me?”

Jonathan’s Basso Profundo laughter filled the room. 

That moment and the backstage hugs from a man I barely knew will be the memories I cherish most when I remember my friend, Jonathan Curtsinger.

Tara Sitser,

Los Angeles, CA January 2024

Holding Hope

~ Tara Sitser ~ 8 Comments

There have been times throughout the history of the human race that have, as Thomas Paine said in December of 1776, tried men’s souls.  Nearly 250 years later I would amend that quote to include people of all genders with the reminder that it is not only men, and not only adults, who carry the burden of current events. With the advent of technical and social media invading every space we inhabit; the world has come much closer to us than ever before making us more involved and aware of the events and tragedies that happen around the globe.

Our children have become activists. Our homes have become places of work. Our personal information and daily thoughts have become instantly accessible. Yes, those changes in our society bring convenience but they also come with a very high price tag.

There is no question we are living through one of those times that try our souls. We are being asked to adjust to so many conditions that do not nurture the human spirit that it is easy to feel overwhelmed and undervalued.

So, to greet the new year I send to all of you this acknowledgement of your right to honor your own experience of life and these hopes for your journey into the next chapter of your story:

Communication Lab

~ Tara Sitser ~ 4 Comments

I cannot find enough ways to tell you just how valuable my work with Leah Zimmerman has been!  The tools she has taught me, the insights into human behavior, the ability to see what’s behind the mask we show, not only to the world, but to ourselves, has been a gift, a turn-around in my perspective that will forever change how I interact with the people in my life.

So I am pleased to share with you here news of a workshop from Communication expert Leah Zimmerman of Stepping Stool Coaching.

This is an interactive lab which offers you a chance to practice having the conversation that may keeping you up at night. What will you say to that troublesome client or grieving friend? How do you approach a difficult topic with a meddlesome family member?

Leah can show you how to change your understanding of the situation and open the door to true, empathic communication.

You can read more about Leah in my previous blog article HERE

Click Here to Schedule a free 15-minute chat with Leah

Acing Difficult Conversations

~ Tara Sitser ~ 7 Comments

Leah Zimmerman, Family Conflict Expert, CEPA

Founder of Stepping Stool Coaching

Coaching is a thing. In our society it has become an industry. 

That says a lot about our need for guidance through this very complicated life we humans have created for ourselves.  There are business coaches, fitness coaches, lifestyle coaches, vocal coaches, spiritual coaches, financial coaches and more.  And each category of coaching is individually important for the specific endeavor chosen. All wonderful resources! No shade here.

But think on this:  Across all of those industries and focused goals there is a shared need that often goes unrecognized and unfulfilled. Throughout our lives and careers the one ever-present element we cannot escape is the need to communicate with other people. And sometimes that is not easy to do.

For most of my life when face with difficult conversations all I knew how to do was present the facts as I knew them and hope the evidence would turn animosity into agreement. My record of success was nearly zero.

Understanding how to negotiate difficult conversations is a skill that remains out of reach for many of us.  And yet, if we are to have agency in our own lives, if we hope to achieve our goals, the ability to handle difficult conversations is essential. It is a learned skill we will need to apply in every area of our lives.

I first met Leah Zimmerman, founder of Stepping Stool Coaching, in a group setting outside of her coaching work.  I was intrigued by the calm, centered, courageous way she presented herself.  I was struck by the gentle certainty and inner peace she projected.

At one point she spoke of a difficult conversation she knew she would be having in the near future and then said, “That’s OK. I know how to handle difficult conversations.” 

Even with no information about her background or profession I was compelled to say to her (only half joking!), “Could you teach a class in that?”  Her reply: “Actually, that is what I do.”

 At one point she spoke of a difficult conversation she knew she would be having in the near future. And then she said, “That’s OK. I know how to handle difficult conversations.”  I was compelled to say to her (only half joking!), “Could you teach a class in that?”  Her reply: “Actually, that is what I do.”

Well.  Having lived a life that did not include the opportunity to learn any kind of people skills, I jumped at the chance to attend one of Leah’s free workshops.  In the first few moments of her Masterclass I began to see a world of perspectives, tools, and opportunities that had never before been visible to me.

As I listened to her speak Leah seemed to see the conversation going on in my head and acknowledged my resistance before I could finish speaking my “But what if…..?” reactions. She then offered techniques that allowed me to shift my initial perceptions of a situation, uncovering instead opportunities for positive, effective communication.   

Leah was able to unravel a lifetime of mysteries that had left me believing there could be nothing but brick walls in my way.

My journey to a better understanding of successful communication is just beginning but now I know where to find the insights and the tools I will need to make that skill set a part of my life.

Here’s my takeaway – Every session with Leah is filled with insights. Each time I attend a coaching session with her I end up with dimensions of understanding that I would not have found on my own. Old stories look entirely different to me now. New challenges don’t give me that deer-in-the-headlights moment that used to make me feel powerless. At least not always. I will get better with practice and the gentle, confident guidance of Leah Zimmerman.

And you can, too!

To learn more about Stepping Stool Coaching

Contact Leah at:

Leah at SteppingStoolCoaching dot com

 Get Your Dream Into The End Zone

~ Tara Sitser ~ 7 Comments

Author & life coach Diana Weynand gets the touchdown
using football strategies to help you reach your goals.

I am likely the only person in the known universe who grew up in the United States and never saw a football game. No one ever explained to me that there is something to be learned about living a successful life built into the game of football.  In her book, Lipstick Football, Ms. Weynand has filled that gap.

 As a former player and manager in the Los Angeles Lasers professional women’s football team Ms. Weynand understands the game from the inside out. As a successful business woman who has reached for and achieved a list of impressive goals she knows how to make intentions into realities.

While she is teaching you the inner workings of the game of football Ms. Weynand is also offering you insights and strategies to get you closer to your life goals. Her descriptions of the physical world of football, the players on and off the field, how the game is played, and even some football history, are filled with action, clarity, color and energy.  

Lipstick Football opened a world to me that offers, not just a fun and instructive view of a previously unfamiliar sport, but a set of easily accessible tools to use in your personal quest for achievement.

Wynand’s method has proved so valuable that Antioch University has asked her to teach an online course this Fall based on her Lipstick Football Principles.

To get you started Ms. Weynand will be offering a FREE WEBINAR to introduce the course:

“Learn to Win & Achieve Your Dreams,

Using the Lipstick Football Method.”

** FREE WEBINAR:  Monday, October 24th, 4-5pm PT. **

Now is the time to jump in and find out what it takes to go from idea to reality guided by an award-winning entrepreneur, author, teacher, speaker and life coach whose book, Lipstick Football, is emerging as the tool of choice for her ever-growing audience.

Do you have a dream you’d like to pursue?

Take the leap!

REGISTER HERE

BUILDING MOMENTUM ON CLIMATE ACTION OCTOBER 7, 2022

~ Tara Sitser ~ 3 Comments

Every year The Climate Reality Project hosts 24 Hours of Reality, a day to focus the world’s attention on the climate crisis and the solutions within our grasp. This year will be our twelfth annual 24 Hours of Reality.

Each year we dig deep on a subject critical to the climate movement at the time and travel around the globe, sharing stories and inspiration. This year, as deadlines for action loom and extreme weather and other effects of the climate crisis hit home everywhere in the world, we focus on the powerful progress made by community activists where they live.

Join us and learn how you can make a difference on climate change.

People everywhere are taking the planet’s future into their own hands, working to leave fossil fuels behind and build a more just and sustainable tomorrow for us all.

On October 7, we’re telling that story, with 24 Hours of Reality: Spotlight on Solutions and Hope.

For one day, we’ll be traveling around the world hearing stories from activists about how they created real climate solutions in their communities and step-by-step to help you get involved and make change where you live. We’ll also be hosting Global Dialogues with former US Vice President Al Gore and other changemakers on the topics of:

Join us on October 7 to get inspired, learn more about what you can do, and take action to build the future we all want.

The San Fernando Valley Chapter of the Climate Reality Project has been advocating for nature-based solutions in the Sepulveda Basin, to support The River Project’s Sepulveda Basin Restoration Feasibility Study. That advocacy gained attention within Climate Reality Project at a national level and we have been invited to share our work on the  “Natural Solutions” panel.

Tune in – October 7th, 7am PT – as Diana Weynand, SFV Chapter Chair, joins three other Climate Reality Leaders from around the world to discuss our chapter’s advocacy for natural solutions in the Sepulveda Basin.

Former Vice President Al Gore will moderate the panel.

Meet the Author; Get a Grip on Climate Anxiety

~ Tara Sitser ~ 9 Comments

Me, anxious? Well…. Actually, yes.

I do a lot of research about climate issues, global warming, disappearing wildlife habitat, damage from fossil fuel use, social justice issues related to environmental mismanagement, drought and water issues………..You get the picture. It isn’t hard to feel despair over the state of our biosphere. But there is also reason to hope.

Pick up a copy of A Field Guide To Climate Anxiety and let author Sarah Jaquette Ray talk you down from the ledge; then come meet her on Sep 13, 2022 when the San Fernando Valley, CA Chapter of the Climate Reality Project hosts Ms. Ray for an Author’s Night event at our September chapter meeting!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Drawing on a decade of experience leading and teaching in college environmental studies programs, Sarah Jaquette Ray has created an “existential tool kit” for the climate generation. Combining insights from psychology, sociology, social movements, mindfulness, and the environmental humanities, Ray explains why and how we need to let go of eco-guilt, resist burnout, and cultivate resilience while advocating for climate justice. 

I’m gonna be there. I need all the help I can get to deal with the adjustments the future will demand of us. You can join the Zoom meeting for free from anywhere in the world – because, folks, this affects us all.

Register at bit.ly/SFVCR

Book Bans in the US? Literary Hub offers tools to stop them

~ Tara Sitser ~ 6 Comments

This post from Literary Hub should be of interest to any author, for that matter any artist of any kind, who wants to fight back against the current attempts to ban books in the US. The Author’s Guild has created a toolkit to simplify the process of speaking out against this attempt to quash self-expression and rewrite history.

We have to be on the alert because, if the attempt is successful, they won’t stop with books.

Read the post here: Want to stop Book Bans?