Archive for the ‘Comedy’ Category

Songs to Galvanize Your Mind Now in Production

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

groovinwipod

I’m putting the finishing touches on my newest creation, it’s an eBook titled Songs to Galvanize Your Mind – A List of Songs for a Strong Mind and a Stronger Purpose. I’m going to give it as a free gift to all my readers. A great way to have fun and feel powerful.

Galvanize Your Mind is a 19-page music list that’s broken down into various categories. Here’s a sneak-peek at the table of contents:

Page 4 – Galvanize Your Mind Soundtrack
Page 5 – Moods
Page 5 – Dare to be Authentic and Have Fun
Page 7 – Get Pumped Up
Page 8 – Get to Feelin’ Groovy
Page 10 – Blow Off Steam
Page 11 – Favorite Albums
Page 12 – Favorite Artists
Page 13 – Alphabetized Song List
Page 18 – Misc./Bonus
*Recommended Downloads
*All Engines are Burning Workout Playlist
*Songs not on iTunes at the date this was published but worth checking out
*Completely obscure but appreciated
Page 19 – Final Thoughts

To get your free copy, stay tuned to this blog. I’ll post the sign up form shortly.

On Hosting the Agape TM Live Show

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

sheri-is-mcLast Saturday, December 12 was a fun and exciting day for me. I already wrote about how I won Toastmaster of the Year last week, and it’s taken me this long to re-group and reflect on another aspect of the morning which was being the host of the Agape TM Live Show.

While planning for our year-end party, we had brainstorming meetings and came up with the idea of a Red Carpet theme so we could dress up like stars and have some fun. I recommended an awards-style twist on Table Topics.

Table Topics is the impromptu portion of a Toastmaster’s meeting where you call up a speaker and ask him or her to talk about a topic for 1-2 minutes.

How I set it up is that prior to the meeting, I contacted all the members and asked them to tell me two interesting bits of information about themselves that most of us probably wouldn’t know.

I took those bits of information and used them in two ways, one as the basis of a treasure hunt game. We passed out a sheet with some these bits of information written on it then people had to guess which bit of information went with which person. Some of the match-ups were pretty hard to guess.

The second way I used the information was to generate a Table Topics intro. I would introduce each guest by telling a little bit about what they were going to talk about, then they would come on stage and tell the story in their own words. Below are some pictures of the Table Topics speakers and what they spoke about.

joanramirez

Joan Ramirez tells us about the time when Jim Morrison of The Doors pulled her up on stage and planted a huge kiss on her lips! She had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

susanlowe

Susan Lowe tells the audience at Agape Toastmasters Red Carpet Awards celebration about the days when her children were regulars on Sesame Street.

brucegordon

Bruce Gordon entertains the audience at Agape Toastmasters Red Carpet Awards celebration as he showcases his live comedy act.

dianemosberry

Diane Moseberry tells the audience at Agape Toastmasters Red Carpet Awards celebration how she used her speeches to educate her child regarding practical life skills.

After the interview-style Table Topics we handed out awards.

johnmclaughlin

John McLaughlin shows off his “Best Film Editing” award at Agape Toastmasters Red Carpet Awards celebration. Club President Cynthia Lamb shows her enthusiasm and support.

shirelynasonmitchell

Shirley Nason Mitchell is awarded “Best Original Screenplay” at Agape Toastmasters Red Carpet Awards celebration.

food

Before, during and after the Red Carpet awards, we had good food to eat thanks to Linda Lloyd.

For a complete photo gallery of this event, click here.

All photos in this blog are courtesy of Michael Zampelli.com

Roller Derby Lessons: Jump Over Obstacles and Embrace Exhilaration

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

One night in roller derby practice, I had to jump over the back seat of a Chevy Corvair on roller skates. The prospect of it terrified me but the end result of taking a risk and having success was life-transforming.

In this 6 minute video taped at Agape Toastmasters, I talk about how jumping over that car seat, even though I was initially convinced I couldn’t, was proof to me that my mind doesn’t always tell the truth and maybe I shouldn’t take it so seriously. From Sabotage to Success by Sheri ZampelliWhen I hear the words “I can’t” in my mind, I ignore it. If you want less fear and more joy, check it out.

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For step-by-step guidance to overcome failure mentality or fear of failure, purchase From Sabotage to Success.

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Grease Checks

Styles Checks-125 x 125- Animiated Marvel Banner


Comedian Sharon Lacey to Perform at Pacific Northwest Women’s Comedy Festival

Thursday, November 19th, 2009


Get The Sheri and Erin Show on iTunes

sharonlaceycomedyThis coming Saturday, November 21, 2009 Sharon Lacey will be performing at the Pacific Northwest Women’s Comedy Festival in Springfield Oregon along with a dozen other female comics. Today on The Sheri and Erin Show we interviewed her about her career.

Lacey had her first introduction to stand-up comedy at the age of ten. With support from one of her teachers and her parents, she performed for about a year but then lost interest and moved on to other things. After raising her daughter and teaching middle school for 23 years, she decided it was time to pursue her passion and jump onto the comedy stage.

Ms. Lacey has been seen on the Disney Channel, ABC, Lifetime, and A&E. She recently returned from entertaining our troops in Kuwait and Iraq (Read her travel diary here). Lacey has performed in clubs, colleges, and casinos from coast to coast and in Canada.

I recently posted one of Sharon Lacey’s videos on this blog. You can find more videos and a list of Sharon’s upcoming performances on her MySpace page.

Comedian Sharon Lacey on Teaching Middle School

Monday, November 9th, 2009


Goonies Comedy Club: Rochester, Minnesota

Sharon Lacey | MySpace Video

More and more lately my work is moving in a humorous direction, and I like it! What is life if it isn’t fun? If you believe in the Law of Attraction, you know that Joy is the feeling state that is most attractive. Therefore, it’s important to be in that state as frequently as possible. This video will help you.

The Secret Behind the Secret

As I was researching various humor-related websites, I stumbled upon Sharon Lacey. Ms. Lacey was a middle school teacher for 23 years before she hit the comedy stage. She has some funny stories about kids and parents.

Happy Child

Stuff Your Stockings at MusicSpace.com!
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Overcoming Fear on Halloween at Agape Toastmasters

Friday, November 6th, 2009

overcomingfearThe theme for the Halloween meeting at Agape Toastmasters was Overcoming Fear. I was the Toastmaster of the day. I sent out a group e-mail that said:

“I encourage you to dress up. You can think Halloween or you can think of those items you love but don’t feel brave enough to wear in public. On that note, you could come in your pajamas. Let us see a side of you we might not usually see, get out of your comfort zone and have fun.

P.S. I’m going to wear things that force me to face a huge fear: looking foolish or “too wild” in front of others. Think Dennis Rodman, Madonna or some crazy funk star from the 70’s.”

The result was a creative and inspiring meeting. The fear dissipated with each speech.

Linda Lloyd (far left in polka dot PJ’s), faced her fear of leaving the house without being “made up”. Margaret Futerer (devil costume) talked about her childhood fear of the Devil. Charmaine Shaw (far right) told the dramatic story of her fear-stricken life as a young child in a violent area of Jamaica. Each day on the way home, Charmaine had to pass a cemetery. She grew up hearing stories about the ghosts that resided there. She was so terrified of the cemetery that she ran past it daily without allowing her eyes to even glance in that direction. She arrived home each day winded and tired.

One day, she finally faced her fear. She looked at the cemetery and guess what she saw?

Nothing.

That’s what fear is.

Nothing.

I am a recovering people pleaser and perfectionist. My most common fears have included:
Making a fool of myself
Being “too much”
Being “too loud”
Wearing the “wrong” thing
Looking “weird”
etc.

This day was an exhilarating opportunity to face all of those fears at once.

I was big, I was bold, I was loud and I was wearing all the “wrong things.” Guess what happened?

Nothing.
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Ellusionist.com - Online Magic Training Center

From Sabotage to Success by Sheri ZampelliOne of my favorite moments of the meeting was when I confessed my fear of being “too loud”. I decided to face the fear immediately and let out a bellow. People weren’t ready for it but once they got over the shock, they laughed. Fear can be funny. Especially when you realize that no matter how real it seems, it’s nothing.

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For step-by-step guidance to overcome fear and self-sabotage, purchase From Sabotage to Success.

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Visit Agape Toastmasters on-line.

Toastmaster Persuades New School Power to Stand Up

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

Today I delivered my tenth speech at Agape Toastmasters and completed the requirements for a Competent Communication award. The speech is titled, “Stand In Your New School Power and Dare to Make a Difference” (if you don’t see a video above, click here to watch it on YouTube). I joined Toastmasters just over a year ago because I’ve always enjoyed public speaking and wanted to improve my skills and break out of my comfort zone.

I’ve been speaking to groups of people for about 16 years. However, most of my speaking has been somewhat informal, (i.e. leading small, intimate groups), or it’s been structured but based on a cirruculm (i.e. instructing classes at Long Beach City College). Although teaching, leading and speaking have always been rewarding to me, I felt like I was holding back on presenting passionately and daring to create my own presentations.

In my past year or so at Agape Toastmasters I feel like I’ve really broken out of the mold I was in and this presentation in particular was one of the most exhilarating, honest and enjoyable pieces of work I’ve ever had the privledge of delivering to a live audience.

In my mind, this is the beginning of my speaking career and I hope to have the opportunity to deliver this presentation and others like it to groups of leaders in various locations. Specifically I would like to speak to teachers, therapists, social workers, ministers and organizations who provide service to the community. My hope is to get paid as a presenter and to have the opportunity to sell my book, From Sabotage to Success.

Over the past 16 years I’ve worked at numerous non-profit agencies and I’ve met many educated, dedicated and warm-hearted people who yearn to make a difference in the world yet seem to be confined and stifled, not to mention overwhelmed. My hope is that I can help these leaders feel strong and powerful so they can do the work they’ve always dreamed of. In so doing, I will be fulfilling a dream of my own: to use my skills to make a positive difference in the world for those who need it most.

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From Sabotage to Success by Sheri ZampelliIf you have a saboteur like Puleza who’s stealing your power, purchase my book From Sabotage to Success and learn how to take your power back.

If you would like to book me to speak at your next event, please contact me at sherizampelli [at] gmail.com.

Hooping Brings Joy to Research at Agape Toastmasters

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Usually, you don't read off a card while delivering a speech in Toastmasters.  But in this case, I read a quote from Dr. Ramesh Balasubramaniam, a hooping researcher in Canada and the audience was pretty impressed that I could hoop and read while wearing heels. Plus, the fact that I pulled the card from out of my blouse added a little humor to the whole thing.  What fun!

Usually, you don't read off a card while delivering a speech in Toastmasters. But in this case, I read a quote from Dr. Ramesh Balasubramaniam, a hooping researcher in Canada and the audience was pretty impressed that I could hoop and read while wearing heels. Plus, the fact that I pulled the card from out of my blouse added a little humor to the whole thing. What fun!

This morning I spoke at Agape Toastmasters and delivered speech #7 from the Toastmaster’s Competent Communication manual. The objective of the speech is to research your topic. I had a blast hula-hooping while talking about physics and threw in some humor to keep it light.

When I first looked at the project, I was flooded with a sense of dread. I had flashbacks of the countless hours I spent in the basement of the library at Cal State Long Beach where I got my master’s degree.

Ever since I graduated, I’ve been slowly trying to recover from the creative trauma of constant analyzation and lately, I’ve gone so far as to make a commitment to have as much joy in my life as possible. This generally does not include spending countless hours in a windowless room filled with computers, books and metal bookshelves.

I had to put on my thinking cap to try and figure out how I could possibly attain joy while researching. I pondered, research? joy! research? joy! And then, a thought came to me, “I can research something that brings me joy…like Hula Hooping!”

Here are some hooping facts you might not know:

** Hoops were created out of grapevines and used for exercise in ancient Greece

** In 1958, the Whamo toy company sold more than 100 million Hula Hoop’s. The cost? $1.98

** At this very moment, Dr. Ramesh Balasubramaniam in Canada is actively researching the dynamics of hooping to try and better understand the mind/body connection

** Larger hoops are easier to keep up because of the principle known as conservation of angular momentum

** Heavier hoops are easier to keep up because of the law of inertia

hoopingtoastmasters2If you think you can’t hoop, think again. It might be that you’ve been using the wrong kind of hoop. After my speech, two women who swore they have never been able to hoop were hoopin’ with ease within five minutes. It was a blast to see their faces light up.

Other things I discovered include hooping fitness classes and courses to become a certified hoop instructor. If I can raise the funds, I just might go for certification. In the meantime, I contacted the owner of Body Hoops and became an affiliate for selling hula hoops on-line. If you’d like to discover or rediscover the joys of hooping you can buy a hoop or a hooping DVD at bodyhoops.com and get $10 off! Simply go to bodyhoops.com and buy your stuff. Then, when you’re ready to check out, be sure to enter “sheri” in the form when it asks you for a coupon code. Most importantly, once you get your hoop, remember to have fun!

Lily Tomlin – One Ringy Dingy

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Lately in Toastmasters I’ve been experimenting with adding humor to my presentations. In a recent speech, I “channelled” Helen Madden, Licensed Joyologist and revealed one of my inner critics “Drizella”, the evil step sister who forbade all silliness and gave me a tongue-lashing for playing the Licensed Joyologist in public (oh for shame!)

Currently, I’m toying with the idea of bringing that “Drizella-ish” voice out into the light and having a conversation with it. Maybe even a little duel between her and Gal VanIZed. One of my fellow Toastmasters recommend that I look up some Lily Tomlin for inspiration. Great advice. Figured I’d share it.


Becoming the Licensed Joyologist

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
Helen Madden, Licensed Joyologist as portrayed by Molly Shannon on Saturday Night Live.  I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!

Helen Madden, Licensed Joyologist as portrayed by Molly Shannon on Saturday Night Live. I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!

I’ll have to admit. I have snapped.

After many years of studying books like This Thing Called You, A Course in Miracles, The Secret, Ask and It is Given and A New Earth I think I finally get it.

Basically, the only thing you need to be happy and attract great things into your life is to choose joy.

And yet when I say that, I somehow feel I’m a goofball liberal like the Licensed Joyologist on Saturday Night Live.

I couldn’t find an actual video clip of Molly Shannon from Saturday Night Live but this woman does a good job of imitating her classic “I love it, I love it, I love it” spiel.

So, I’m keepin’ it real simple lately. Because what brings me joy is creativity and connecting with other people. I like music, art and dance. I like to be around people who are pushing the envelope and I like to push my envelope, between well-deserved breaks.

I have no idea why I wrote all of that but I did want to say that I have a new blog where I allow myself to be “woo-woo” and write about the Law of Attraction and Joy and spirituality and chakras and all that good stuff. So, if you’re a little bit “woo woo” too, come take a peak. You might like it. Come visit me at www.icreatehabits.com and please, leave comments and questions if you’d like. It would be cool to have a dialogue about the Law of Attraction including pros, cons and personal stories.

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