MORE OF YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Questions from Rayna M (who went to her first Diana Ross concert this past May):

I read an article that your sister, Rhonda, wrote about how she overcame her issues with low self-esteem. While reading your blog, I saw that you at one time were shy and "not comfortable in your own skin." So question for you is will any of your children's books deal with self-esteem and learning to accept each other's differences?

Yes, I do try to have a positive message in the books I write. In my middle reader series (which I have been re-writing forever) my main character, Bean, dances to the beat of her own drum. At this age range, they don’t want preach-y lessons, but I think it is still important to have a positive underlying message. My main goal in writing has always been to spread the word that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and that our beauty comes from our differences. Personally, it took me a long time to understand this, which is why I think it is an important part of my writing today.

Also, I am from the D.C. area and I wanted to know what your experience was like teaching in inner city D.C.? I'm asking because I attended elementary school in Southeast D.C. and I feel that a lot of times those schools get a bad rap. My experience attending school in inner city D.C. was a good one, and when I transferred to another school, I was academically ahead of my classmates.

When I graduated from college, I did a program called Teach For America. TFA is an awesome Americorp program that takes recent college graduates, gives them a summer of training, then places them in the neediest schools in our nation. We also work towards our teaching credentials while taking night classes. I have to admit that I had a rough year, but I don’t want that to shed a bad light on all public schools in DC. Remember, I was a passionate, yet naïve 21 year old fresh out of college. I had great ideas and a lot of love, but no experience and even less support from the administration at the school. I had hoped to teach first grade, but was placed as a fifth grade teacher and the other staff being excited to have a new teacher placed all the troubled kid’s in my room. I struggled from day one with discipline, which made it impossible to teach and the principal’s only response (and support) was to “be meaner.” That being said, I taught some amazing kids, some of whom I still keep in touch with all these years later. DC holds a special place in my heart and I can totally see how you had a positive school experience is such an amazing city.

Questions from Terry Wilson from Seattle:

I've heard three of your siblings sing (Rhonda, Tracee, and Evan). Can you sing also?

Hmm… I definitely can carry a tune, but I will not be putting out an album anytime soon. Lol! I prefer some karaoke now and then (My songs of choice: I Will Survive, Last Time I Saw Him and Let’s Hear It For The Boy) and singing in my car or in the shower.

You've evolved into a fashionista. Have you ever considered donating an entire section of your website devoted to dress and beauty tips?

I have thought about doing some fashion and beauty tips on my website. I love fashion and what fun that would be, however at this time I am so busy starting a business (info coming soon) and trying to keep up with my writing, so I’m not sure I could dedicate the effort that would be needed to make it successful. Thanks for the idea though, I will keep it in mind!

Question from Becca Reed:

Did your mom ever get really angry at you when you were a child and what did you do that got you into trouble? Be very carefully because you don't want to give anyone any ideas, ha!

It may sound like a boring answer, but I never really got in any BIG trouble as a kid. I was a pretty good girl (still am today :). I was always a rule follower who wanted to make everyone happy. That being said, you do NOT want to get my mom angry. She wasn’t a big yeller, but you could see the anger in her eyes. She would look like she could eat your whole and no one liked to have that look focused on them.

Thanks everyone for the great questions! A couple more coming soon!

MEET MORE READERS

This week, meet Tommy Lee and Sharon Jacobucci . I think it is beautiful that these two profiles came on the same week because I think they reflect each other in great ways. Tommy and Sharon are both positive people who have adopted beautiful children with whom they share their light and love (which I hope to do as well one day). Thank you for sharing your stories and for reading each week. Now, let’s meet my readers….

Reader Profile: Tommy Lee

My name is Tommy Lee Hayes-Brown. I love your blog and decided to write you and the readers to introduce myself as I think of us as "family in my head". Even though our backgrounds are completely different and on the surface may not seem like we've got a lot in common...one thing I've learned during this life's journey is that "We are more alike than unalike" - Maya Angelou. Like you, I am an aspiring children's book author and am currently shopping a couple books and thankfully getting close to striking a deal. Wish me luck!

I am the proud husband and father to a beautiful family here in beautiful Charlotte, NC. My wife and I have been happily married for 19 years and we are the parents of four incredible boys. Oree Believe is 10, Zion Zubari is 9, Isaiah Jsahni is 8 and Solomon Soul is 6. The boys keep us busy (especially my wife who stays home with them to home school) but I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I am grateful in that I have a great job that allows me to work from home, so the six of us roll together most days...how great is it that my boys have both parents home with them? We are truly blessed.

We are pretty non-traditional parents who are trying our best to raise men the world can be proud of. My wife and I decided when we first got married to both adopt and have biological children (this was before Brad & Angelina or Madonna - we were trail blazers!). We were fortunate to find an adoption agency here in Charlotte, NC that understood our mission to adopt even though we didn't have any fertility issues and worked with us to find our babies. Oree Believe came to us at 18 days old, Zion Zubari was 2 months old and Isaiah Jsahni was 3 days old. Solomon Soul is our biological child (but I think Isaiah looks more like me than he does, God truly has a sense of humor!). We've been featured on an episode of Discovery Channel's "Adoption Stories" that runs periodically so Tivo the Hayes-Browns to find out more about our adoption story. None of my boys are biologically related to each other, but I remind them all the time that blood doesn't make you a family...love does.

I originally came across your website after searching for pictures of your mother for a school project my sons were doing and really like your vibe. I think you are right in that a lot of people expect certain behaviors from the rich/famous and I am glad to read that you are so down to earth. Quite frankly, I've always thought of myself as a star in my own right and have a couple personal celebrity friends so I know first hand they are the same as anyone else...

I will sign off now but invite your blog readers to check out my family's website to ohhh and ahhh over my beautiful boys and see how great adoption can be! We are at www.Hayes-Brown.com. You can also friend me on facebook at www.facebook.com/tommylee. I'm always looking to expand my network with positive people I can learn from or just have fun getting to know.

Take care Chudney and family and I'll leave you with words from one of my favorite Diana Ross songs (which is also my family's theme song), "If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die. Dreams see us through to forever as high...as souls can fly...the clouds roll by...for YOU and I."

Reader Profile: Sharon Jacobucci

My name is Sharon Jacobucci and I was born August 18 which makes me a lioness and raised in NY a mini minute ago. Came to LA because I got tired of freezing my skinny legs off. Well, at that time they were quite lean stems. However, by then, I was married before I snapped back to reality. Out of that fantasy fog came a huge divorce. Haven't been married since. Out of that mini union came 3 beautiful children who are now grown. So, because of fortunate unexpected blessings, I was able to adopt two handsome little men who are the love/joy of my life. Jonathan (13) and Trevin. (12) Various reasons placed the boys into my life. Jonathan was already in our family when he was given up for adoption at 3 weeks old and Trevin came from a foster care agency because his mother passed away when he was a year old. I was doing stand up comedy around LA and had just started acquiring a lot of fans when motherhood fell into my life again and I made the right decision to give it another go around simply because OUR family is forever. And comedy is a gig you can catch up to later in life but my proudest moment is being able to keep both my boys with me 24/7.

I came across Chudney's blog because I read hideous statements and it broke my heart a few people could be so crude towards someone they had never met. Pre-judgment is a horrible misguided expression of hatred. I know because I get dirty looks and the middle finger occasionally because of the job I do. I am a Meter Maid and some people have a preconceived notion that I am evil and have no heart whatsoever because I'm in a uniform. But if they took the time they could see I truly am a wonderful woman with a zany, humorous attitude. So after reading false traducement against Chudney, I decided to lend support by writing and reaching out with love. I found Chudney on MySpace and on her profile there's a link to her blog. I've been a fan ever since and read each blog no matter what's going on in my world. It's my favorite escapism filled with wisdom, fantasies of places I would like to go see someday, adventures, and plenty of helpful tidbits… Plus meeting Chudney proved she's more beautiful off the pages of her blogs.

My favorite color is blue. I love seafood. I see food and eat it-ALL... lol! Favorite season is fall/Christmas in NY> LA can't compete with New York’s four seasons. What would I do if anything were possible? I'd interview your mom and get a photo of us together afterwards, but it ain't possible. So there!!! lol! My favorite Diana Ross song is "I ain't been Licked," but heck there are so many others. Especially her early solo albums from the 70's. How would a friend describe me? They would say Bucci's nutty but in a surprisingly good way. ha ha ha!

You can reach me on facebook by looking my name up. Sharon Jacobucci or you can watch me on trutv every Monday starting June 7 at 10 pm on a show called " All Worked Up" where my character's name is Jackie Pucci and I play a Meter Maid that gives no one a break whatsoever. If I did, there woudn’t be a show. Don't confused the show with my reality because I do give breaks... lol!

That is the last of the profiles! Thank you everyone for sharing about yourselves and if you haven’t shared yours yet and you still want to, please feel free to email it ASAP! I have enjoyed getting to know you a whole bunch. More questions/ answers and blogs coming soon!

MOM’S CONCERT (NYC and LA)

I’ve always loved to watch my mom transform from sweatpants clad mommy into sequined super star, so it’s always a treat to see my mom on stage. With mom’s latest tour, I was lucky enough to get to see two shows (New York and LA) and both were FABULOUS!

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, NEW YORK:

I had some business to attend to in New York and since I knew mom had an upcoming show at Radio City, I planned my trip around it. I also talked Joshua (my boyfriend who is NOT a fan of flying) into making the trip. He has NEVER been to New York (can you believe it?!?), so we planned an action packed trip full of site seeing, visiting friends, spending time with my sister and nephew, meetings with my lawyer and editor and of course seeing mom on stage.

From the moment we touched down in the Big Apple, we were non-stop on the go. I showed Joshua Central Park, Columbus Circle, Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Time Square and that was all in the first day. We took the train from Grand Central Station to Connecticut to send time with my mom, sister, brother and nephew. We partied till the wee hours of the morning with my friends from college. I had my meetings. We went shopping, explored Wall Street and visited Ground Zero. Basically, after 3 days, we were exhausted, but in the middle of all the craziness, we got to see mom perform at Radio City.

It was Joshua’s first time seeing my mom on stage and I think it’s always fun to share this experience with someone for the first time. For me, it seems so normal to see my mom perform, but for Joshua and my friends who I brought along it was a wild experience to see the woman they know as my momma in sparkling gowns entertaining crowds of awed fans. I think it was also pretty crazy for Joshua to see how many of my mom’s fans know me (and have known me for my whole life). I was so happy to see so many of you (my blog readers and myspace friends) and take so many photographs. We could definitely feel the love that night and I know my mom could feel it too.

The show was great! The new band was awesome, the addition of the video footage and photos in the background (many photos taken by my brother Ross who is an amazing photographer) were a hit. You could tell mom was having fun and enjoying herself as much as the crowd and it was beautiful that the tour was dedicated to the tragic loss of Michael Jackson. I know people have been upset that my mom hasn’t made more comment on his passing, but loss of a friend is a private matter and to celebrate in the form of music seems so much more fitting… I think.

NOKIA THEATER, LOS ANGELES:

A couple of weeks later, my mom arrived back on the West Coast for her show at the Nokia Theater. My siblings and I were each allotted a few comp tickets, so I invited some friends and we made a fun night of it. We had a car pick us up from my house and drop us at the backstage door where we were shuffled into the green room. To my surprise there were a couple of little faces that I recognized, but have never met before. Paris, Prince and Blanket (Michael’s kids) where hanging backstage excited to see the show. I introduced myself with a quick hug before I was summoned to mom’s dressing room.

Mom asked if I could help with a video they were making. This was one of the last stops on the tour and so she wanted to interview the band for a tour video. Oh well, I wasn’t really prepared, but I do enjoy hosting. So, I embraced the opportunity and got to work. I headed to the woman’s dressing room first, but the singers and band members were busy doing their make up and preparing for the show. I hopped next door to the men’s dressing room where I interviewed many old and new members of the band on their experience with this tour, highlights and funny stories. I got most of the men and a couple of the ladies before, I headed back to grab my friends just in time to head out to the audience.

We made our way through the crowd to our seats. I’ve never been to the Nokia before and it felt big. It was filled to the brim with fans from all walks of life. I even spotted a couple Diana Ross drag queens, which is always a treat (and which my friends got a kick out of). Soon after we sat, the lights dimmed and the show began. Again, the band rocked the house. Mom sounded great and seemed to be happily singing and dancing in her glittering gowns. We danced and sang along and had a great time. Everyone loved the show and enjoyed the experience of seeing mom on stage. This time after the show, we rushed right out and backstage as to not be mobbed by the crowd. We got Michael’s kids safely to their car, bid our farewells and headed to the W Hollywood to continue the fun (with food and cocktails). Another FABULOUS evening!

For those of you who got to see one (or many of the shows), I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. What a treat! And, sorry we weren’t all able to meet up, but I was happy to see some of your smiling faces in the crowd!

SUCCESS

To LAUGH often and much, to win RESPECT of INTELLIGENT people and the AFFECTION of children, to earn APPRECIATION of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, APPRECIATE BEAUTY, to find the BEST in others, to leave the WORLD a bit BETTER, whether by a HEALTHY child, a garden patch... to know that even one life has BREATHED easier because you have LIVED. This is to have SUCCEEDED!

- Emerson

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Time to answer some more of your questions! Thanks to everyone who has submitted thought provoking and interesting questions for me to ponder and answer. If you haven’t sent questions yet, you can still submit to chudneyrossemail@aol.com and if I have gotten to you yet, be patient… more coming soon :)

A question from LANCE MCKENZE:

What inspires your writings and blogs? I have a friend who is an amazing writer, but is scared to let other friends read it.

I think as a writer, the best thing to do is to write from the heart. For my blogs, I always write about what I’m experiencing and what I am feeling at that moment. I think when you write from the heart, it rings true to your readers. Even when I am writing from the point of view of someone very different from me, I have to first explore who this person is and then find how I relate to them to be able to embrace their voice. It’s hard sometimes, but with focus and concentration you can embody anyone.

As for being scared for others to read your friends writing, I think confidence comes with time. I shared my work with very few people at first, but the more positive feedback I got, my confidence built. When I first started writing this blog and got so much negative feedback, I was taken down a notch, but as time passes you have to realize that some people are gonna like what you do and some people are not. I do not write like Shakespeare, I write more conversationally than fancy and I’m not a great speller, but I am proud of what I do and when you believe in your work, anything is possible. Continue to support your friend and praise his/her work and maybe confidence will build.

Questions from JOHN (MR. X on myspace):

What's your favorite breakfast?

I am obsessed with BACON. I realize that it isn’t the healthiest option, but are you kidding me! DELICIOUS! My ideal breakfast is a bacon, egg and cheese on yummy toast, throw on some chipotle mayo and I may just die!! That being said, I am actually not a big breakfast eater. Most mornings, I hit up my local coffee shop for an ice coffee and a hard-boiled egg.

What's the best April fool's joke you've ever played on someone?

I’m a terrible liar / practical joker. I always give it away before people have time to believe it. I laugh or smile, so I’ve never gotten away with much, but this year I posted a couple funnies on facebook. First I wrote, “Chudney has a bun in the oven.” Everyone was like are you pregnant? Congrats! My response: Nope, I was just warming a hamburger bun in the oven. I thought I was hysterical, so later in the day I wrote, “Chudney said YES!!” Again, my gullible friends were all excited about my upcoming nuptials, but then I informed everyone I was referring to agreeing to have lunch with someone. Without the help of facebook to hide my giggles, I would never have gotten away with any of it.

What do you do when you are feeling very sad or depressed?

I try to always look at the bright side in every situation, but everyone has moments when they feel sad and depressed. I ALWAYS cry. I’m a HUGE crier. I think it helps to let it out and get it out of your system. It’s important to let yourself have your feelings, but not dwell on them. Cry, scream, lie in bed, but then let it go. Life is too short to wallow in your sadness.

Which animal would you want to be and why?

This is a funny question :) I really have no idea. Maybe I would be a monkey, because they always look like they are having a good time swinging from branches and eating bananas. Or maybe I would be a bird (not a pigeon) flying from here to there and checking everything out from above. Or maybe I would be a dolphin because I love the ocean and they are so beautiful with their fluid movement through the water.

A question from SHARON JACOBUCCI:

I know you’ve gotten to meet most if not all your favorite celebrities, but I'm wondering have you ever met one that wasn't nice?

Don't need their name... Just the facts.

Actually, I do have a story! When I was young, I was obsessed with one singer. I dressed like her, knew the words to every song and had posters of her on my wall. One night, me, my sisters and a couple of our friends got to go see her in concert. We were so excited to see her in the flesh! We danced and sang along and were super nervous when we got to go backstage after the show. Our hearts pounded as we were ushered into the green room with our tour books and sharpies in hand. She sat like a goddess in a huge fancy chair. We didn’t know what to stay. For the first time, we were star struck. We stood there with our mouths agape. “So… do you want my autograph or not?” she sneered. “Um, yes,” we grumbled. She scribbled on our books and we were shuffled out without another word. And that was it. We had hoped she would be nice and engage us, but we got nothing. We returned home saddened that this woman we love and had put up on a pedestal was gruff and kinda mean. My mom defended her and said that sometimes new, young stars let it got to their heads or maybe she was in a bad mood or tired. What ever it was it hurt our feelings and we were never as big of fans after that. I haven’t met her again, but from seeing her in the media now, I do think my mom was right. She doesn’t seem so terrible anymore and I am actually still a pretty big fan!

Can I come to your wedding? lol

No wedding plans yet, but I’ll keep you posted :) haha!

Thanks for all the great questions and for tuning in to my blog! Keep reading!