Tour de France

THE UNDERSTUDY

   The Playbill said that the understudy was going to play the main character. I was concerned that he was going to louse it up. And sure enough he did. He seemed to be short of breath and couldn't prolong those long notes and he relied on his falsetto to hit the high notes. His movements were clumsy.

   This reminded me of my First Grade. I was extremely shy. So I was reluctant that my teacher, Mrs. De Los Santos, chose me to represent our class in a grade level elocution contest. I memorized my long lines and my teacher coached me for weeks. I never asked why she chose her quietest student to do this. I've always assumed she saw potential where no one else did. She gave me a chance.

    On the day of the performance I caved in. I froze ... cowered to as far back of the stage as I could and just whispered my lines. I'm sure she was disappointed but Mrs. De Los Santos never said a word about that incident. It was like it never happened. And I never thanked her for believing in me. Over the years I started to take risks and have since gotten out of my shell.

   During the intermission of the Phantom of the Opera I was hoping the understudy would get better. Well, something amazing did happen. The understudy came alive. Starting from the scene where his mask was removed, it was as if someone also removed his inhibitions. There was a reason why HE was chosen to be the understudy out of everyone else in the cast. He decided to take risks. He took deep breaths and prolonged and belted those high notes; he was able to emote true feelings. When the Phantom cried because no one understood him, I cried with him. No surprise that the crowd gave him a standing ovation --- for the drama in the story and the drama in real life.

   Take the risk folks. Maybe there's a standing ovation waiting just for you.

Wisdom from Kris of Pasadena, CA
Words of Wisdom

Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thanks to this week's winners:
Norm of Arcadia; Mike of New York; Tom, Kris, Tami and Art of Pasadena; Charrie of Virginia; Wally of Moreno Valley; Don of Kelowna.


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Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway.
--- Mary Kay Ash

Watching the Tour de France
Contributed by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Two Irishmen were sitting in a pub watching the Tour de France on TV.

Seamus shook his head and asked, "Whoi t'e hell do they do that?"

"Do what?" asked Mick.

"Go on them boikes for moiles and moiles, up and down t'e hills, round t'e bends. Day after day, week after week. No matter if it's oicy, rainin?, snowin?, hailin? .. .. ..why would they torture themselves like that?"

"Tis all for the prestige and the money," replied Mick, "You know the winner gets about a half a million Euros?"

"Yeah, I understand that" said Seamus, ... "but why do all the others do it?"


Virgin
Contributed by Tom of Pasadena, CA

A ten-year old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible.

Then, one day, she floored her grandmother by asking, "Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus? The virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?"


Something About Church
(Not a Joke but something to think about)
Contributed by Kris of Pasadena, CA

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now,' he wrote, 'and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them so, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column. Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"


Click on the comic strip below to view an enlargement.


Videos of the week:

I'd Blow It All on You
Contributed by Tom of Pasadena, CA

I'd blow it all on you

A classic video I shared years ago but still very funny.

Water Slide Jump
Contributed by Norm of Arcadia, CA

Waterslide Jump

Admire this engineer who calculates speed, weight and distance. And then risks his life that his calculations are accurate.
I guess smart guys do crazy things.

Roberto Carlos' Historic Free Kick
Contributed by Tami of Pasadena, CA

Roberto Carlos Free Kick

For soccer fans I'm sure this isn't new. But for me this blows me away. It's an amazing "feat" rivaled by Pele's bicycle kick.

Dinosaur in the Office
Contributed by Wally of Moreno Valley, CA

Dinosaur in the Office

I think I have an idea what I want to do for Halloween.


Dish Washing Korean Baby

Contributed by Charrie of Virginia
Korean Baby dish washing

Starting them young isn't a bad thing. His parents can retire early.

You Raised Me up Dog
Contributed by Wally of Moreno Valley, CA

You raiused me up

Another one of those master-dog singing clips.Cute pup.

Young Brother Helps Baby Sister Cross
Contributed by Charrie of Virginia

Brother helps sister cross

This creative kid has a solution to a problem I would never have thought of.


Joey Alexander: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Contributed by Art of Pasadena, CA
Westerners vs East Asians understanding of truth

We end this TGIF edition with this young kid with a classy, jazzy, smooth, soothing rendition of a classic tune. When I grow up I want to play like him. Such sophistication coming from a boy.

TGIF people! Happy Father's Day!

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