Censorship is for the weak

It’s amazing to me, the moment you want to use your voice, people want to come an rip your tongue out of your mouth. Ever wanted a way to lose friends? State hypotheticals and opinions and watch how fast those numbers drop on your FB. But here’s the deal, no one will ever ever censor me and anything I have to say. I recorded a podcast last night, and stated my opinion about how I feel that parents should be tested for five days, spending 8-10 hours answering open-ended questions on scenarios from pregnancy till the child is 18. This stemmed off my frustration after the viral video last week of the mother who has been charged with child abuse after beating her child with a booster seat. Someone in my co-host’s life, very close to her got extremely offended by our barbershop/living room/general conversation, stating that we don’t know what it’s like to be parents and we should shut the fuck up about shit we don’t know about. Unless we do research or have lived in other countries, does this mean we have no right to speak about other cultures? Does this mean we can’t state an opinion on a video game or movie since we may not know all the properties involved on how to create a movie, or a video game? Does this mean, people who aren’t singers should never say how they feel about a song or a singer they may hear because they don’t know how to sing? I don’t get this logic, at all!!! We all talk about shit we don’t know about. I promise it happens amongst your friend’s family and even co-workers.  However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a voice and state your opinion on the way of our current world, where we have a news story every week about a horrible mother/father. These kids are our future. They are the ones who are going to be carrying the world on their back after our mess ups. Do you see our current presidential election? Other countries are looking at us like we’re sitting in a special Ed class and they’re looking through the window of the room and smirking. Do you think kids should deal with the pressures of horrible parenting as well? No! However, that’s my opinion and I’m not going to change it based on someone’s sensitivity. I will always use my voice and say what I feel needs to be said, or I’ll let you into my private life and say things that I would normally say privately, and no one will ever stop me.

I have surrounded myself with friends that can easily agree to disagree with me, and I’m lucky for that because at the rate that I go, I wouldn’t have friends right now. But part of me says that’s okay. No one is ever going to censor me and those people that do are the first people who want a piece of the pie when you’ve made the pie. I will tell you now, don’t ever feel like you have to censor yourself, and don’t ever feel like you can’t have a voice. We all have different ways of handling things, researching things, speaking about things, and if someone doesn’t like the way you do it then they don’t need to be in your life. I spoke to my co-host and said to her that this is the gamble you make when using your voice. There will always be someone to rip it right apart, and make a huge deal about it. So which one do you choose? Your friends, or having a voice and stating your feelings and eventually working towards making a career/name for yourself by using your voice? I don’t care who stays in my life or not because with or without them, I’m going to make it regardless. The less people there are in your life, the less people there are to distract you from the real view. The real view is money, business, grind, hard work, success, and dedication to what you do and not letting anyone stop you in the process because of internal feelings they might be dealing with.

 

Ah, the joys of the east coast. There’s the tri-state area (where I grew up), Tom Brady fan boys, New York pizza, boardwalk rides, dirty beaches and in most people’s opinion who aren’t natives, rude people. Something about this gets to me a little bit. We’re not rude, I promise. Living out in Colorado, I’ve met more rude Uber drivers, store clerks, and your daily randoms in the street in the past month, than I’ve probably dealt with rude encounters in the east coast. Also, I’ve never gotten denied service with my guide dog from Uber drivers in the east coast, within New Jersey, New York, and Florida. So what does that say? So, the five best ways to explain why east coasters are the way they are.

1. We mind our own business – What is so wrong with this? We are all about rush, rush, rush! We don’t want to inconvenience you, and we don’t want you to do the same to us. Chances are, nine times out of ten in the east coast, we don’t care about what you’re doing, and we don’t have too. What’s so rude about that? I’ll let you live your life, and you let me live mine.
2. Too many people – There’s the blind guy walking down the street in New York City, the business man in a suit walking to work, the old lady walking home with her groceries, the 50 people in front of me in line at a starbucks and the venders selling hot dogs on the corner; do we really need to acknowledge everyone we come across? I get it, most cities around the country don’t realize the size of just even the tri-state alone, but that’s too many damn people to say hi to everyone walking down the street next to us or standing in line with at the coffee shop. Not being said hi to isn’t going to kill you, I promise. We’re actually being nice because we’re saving you time.
3. Inconsiderate tactics – It’s cool, I’ll have a conversation with you, I’ll get to know you, but only for the two minutes that you’re checking me out, or for the few minutes we’re on the public bus together. You don’t need to tell me your whole life story, not because I don’t want to hear it (chances are, I don’t, but for the few I would like to hear, keep it brief), but because you’re inconveniencing other people. There are people behind me in line, there are other people on this bus who don’t give a crap about your story, and because we’re in this tight box on wheels, they’re forced to hear your story… That’s not cool. They have things to do, people to see, places to go, etc. I was on a bus once in New York, and this guy proceeds to tell me his views about today’s politics, and was complaining on the bus the whole time. Eventually I told him after 20 minutes of straight bitching, “Sir, you and thousands of Americans feel the same way. Complaining to me isn’t going to change anything for you unfortunately. Good luck.” Not only were you boring me, because I couldn’t care less about politics, but the people in the seats behind you and I probably didn’t care, either.
4. Actually, we’re considerate – East coasters are way more considerate than you would ever believe. I can promise you right now, I’ve gotten more help in New York City by people coming up and asking me if I needed assistance, than Colorado, LA/OC California, Washington D.C and my home city of Paterson, New Jersey, combined! Can you believe that? Where’s the rudeness in that? however, these wonderful people who have taken time out of their day to help, has allowed me to meet some inspiring and fascinating people, and by that, bring on what you non-east coasters call, “rude!”
5. We’re loud – Yes, we’re very animated! We are very expressive about everything we possess, the drama in our families, or the freaky scandalous crap that goes on at work. We like to show that we’re having a good time, and we also like to let people know that we’re not messing around. Why do protest leaders yell? To get a point across, and that’s the same thing we’re doing.
6. Road rage – Yes the road rage you see is real. It’s not rude; it’s just a way for us to say “get the F out of our way!” Also, if you’re driving, and you cut someone off, can you just go? Why wouldn’t you cut them off and jet? That’s what east coasters do. (Sorry to my brother for his horrible experience in Atlanta with this).
7. No Legal Weed – Yup, you might thing we’re uptight, well that’s because the east coast is a little behind on the substance mellowing out Denver, Seattle and Portland to name a few.

Most people are going to think I’m this ignorant, rude, east coast kid who doesn’t have any friends and has all the time in the world to write articles defending the east coast. However, I have best friends that are everything and more, and my dream has been to be a successful radio personality since six-years-old. I love talking to people. I want to be the friend everyone needs, and I want to be a secondary source for someone to fall on when they need a distraction from the everyday drivel. So no, I’m the guy that might want to hear your story, because I get to learn about all different aspects in life and it makes me more knowledgeable for when I am in the industry. Everything we do is based off of experiences, so sometimes the average east coaster doesn’t want you part of their experience, and that’s okay.

I Love you Melanie! Happy first birthday!

At 2:47 AM, amongst the commotion of the doctors cleaning you up and me helping the doc clean up, I remember your soft little coughs as you came into this world. I cut the umbilical cord, with excitement that I get to know a new person. Not just any old person though, my daughter. My beautiful, precious, amazing daughter who has fought and fought and has made my life significantly brighter. I remember everything like it was yesterday. I remember the first time I got to hold you. Honestly, I didn’t believe in myself while others believed in me. I held you, planted soft kisses on your cheeks and knew in my heart that this is truly the most precious gift anyone could ever receive.

Remember when we left the hospital and your grandpa was holding you while leaving and the nurse had left your alarm on? What about the time that you would grab my phone, pinch my nose, or cry if I took things away from you? Ore when you would giggle or smile when you would hear my voice? Melanie, you’re not going too, but I will. I helped ring you here, and I truly appreciate your presents. I miss you, I think about you every day, I  wish we could play, I wish we could sing, I wish we could dance, I wish I could teach you things, and have you do daddy-like things. I miss your laugh, your cry, your, giggles, your chants of “Blaaaaa, baaaaaa, blaaaaaaaa” when you didn’t want to hear anyone speak. I can’t wait for the day where I can pick you up high in the air again and kiss your cheeks and show you everything I haven’t been able too yet. You made me change my whole perception of kids, and you’re my first child that I’ve loved, and that’ll never ever change. Regardless of what’s being fed to you, I love you, and you’re my world! Everything I think of doing is with the intent of saving you, helping you, being there for you, teaching you, showing you, and simply being your father! You make me proud! You make me feel like I can do anything in this world. Here I am, a father who has had lots of up-and-downs in the past year, and I’ve never lost sight of the fact that I have a daughter. Not once have I lost sight of the fact that my daughter needs me, so I’m out here, creating a better life for you when you’re older. I think about you every day, and those songs? Their coming! I can’t wait to sing with you on a song one day! I can’t wait to record music, maybe even perform for people… Maybe you can be on the radio and keep up the legacy of your mother and me in the industry… Whatever you want to do, you can do it. You’re living a brand-new life now and everything is at your fingertips, and I’m going to make sure that I’m here to witness all of it. I want to be there to see all your accomplishments, and I’ll praise you, I’ll treat you to dinners and ice-cream, and the park, and all these things that I wish I could be doing right now… It’s going to be a bond like never before. I’ll see you soon my beautiful daughter. Happy birthday!

I remember moving into my house in early 2000, February to be exact and man, did losing my childhood home hurt? Yes! We just lost my house to foreclosure and it was probably one of the hardest things I still battle today. I remember when I left my house on June 3rd, to start my life in Denver, Colorado. The things you think about are fascinating when placed in that position that these will be the last moments you get to see your childhood home. Everything I did that morning, I thought about. Every step I took I kept thinking, “this is the last step like this I’ll take in this house.” I remember in the shower I was crying so hard thinking that that would be the last shower, and when I was done and opened the curtain to grab my towel and I stepped out, I was like, “This is the last time I’ll be getting out of this shower. . . Forever.”
I’ve often wondered if when I grow up and I’m successful if I should buy the house. I want to have something for a long time. I want to be able to claim something for a long time and my childhood home was it. Here’s a list of things I miss, in no particular order.

• The sound of my studio
• My parties (Whether birthdays or family get-togethers)
• Smoking hookah in the yard
• Blasting music
• Yelling at all hours of the night and not hearing anything about it
• Watching football games with my best friend Ryan
• Walking to my blocks corner store since they’ve known me since I was six
• Swimming in various inflatable swimming pools
• Running around in the sprinklers
• Summer grilling
• Stories like the time my step dad had to Chace someone who stole from my basement
• The great smelling mornings when my mom would make a delicious breakfast (And she would go all in… Just sayin’).
• The great dinners ranging from spaghetti and meatballs, Parmesan-crusted chicken, my favorite, her mashed potatoes, too empanadas, rice and beans and her various famous varieties of chicken.
• Food delivering stories
• The loud, drunkin nights I had with all my boys
• And so many more I don’t have time to write down.

Did I want to leave Paterson, of course, but I wanted to take my house and the memories along with me. My wishful-thinking states I wish I was able to put my house on wheels. However, in Paterson I think I might get shot for that. After all that, I leave you with this. It was an official good-bye to my house I posted on Facebook the night before I left my house forever.

403 Crosby Avenue, a yellow/beige house up on the hill, a house where I was molded. Purchased in December of 1999, and our move in on February of 2000, this house contains 15 years of memories that I’m attached too. This house was my childhood, my place where I’ve experienced so much for the first time. I’ve had all my girlfriends in this house, I discovered myself as a grown man, and have done everything belonging to my interested fields and career. I’ve recorded some of my best music, I’ve had some of my best drunken moments here, have spent hours upon hours with all friends from around the country, had birthday get-togethers, fully catered parties, crazy house frights like a carbon monoxide scare, heard real-life gunshots, played video games, watched certain shows that I remember, and did my successful radio show The Dan show live (some of the funnest moments in my life). Since I’m moving to Colorado tomorrow, tonight will be the last night I sleep in this house, and it’s emotionally messing with me. After today, I will hold nothing but memories of what my house, my place, my home, my rooms; my life was here in the north side of Paterson. Thank you for being so good to me. And thank you to my mother Kathy Gerena who sacrificed everything to have this house for my brother and I, who did whatever she could do to make sure we had a place to grow up to recount stories later. You’re a hero mom. Thank you for allowing me to experience 15 years that will always be stamped in my mind forever. My brother, my mom and I are 403 Crosby Avenue.

“Life sucks and then you die.” Is a statement I heard growing up, and the older I get, the more it comes true? But is that us filling our heads up with reasons why things aren’t going in your favor? Remember, you have the other side of the spectrum. Those who state with lots of pride and excitement, “Life is what you make it.” I try to believe the latter since I haven’t been going through the most positive lately. But then there goes my way of thinking. “It gets better.” It does, and it will.
I remember when I was talking to my girl Shelley on the phone one night, probably the only weirdo calling her during her graveyard shift, Lol. We’re having a conversation about how hard it is to get into the radio industry. What was one of the things she said that has stuck with me today? “Dan, where you are right now, is where all of us were before.” That’s what I reference back too when I don’t receive an e-mail response, when I don’t receive too much interaction on my morning show, when I don’t get the interviews I want because people won’t take out the time of day to respond to us upcoming broadcasters and when I can’t convince a brand too sponsor my various podcasts. But shit! Where’s the support here. I can’t just be the only young, upcoming, hungry, determined, broadcaster out here. It’s time where these radio companies need to stop shifting seats, and start taking a chance on us young unhesitating broadcasters. Listening to all people around you is a gift and a curse. You can have twenty of your closest friends telling you you’re good, but am I? Am I good for what you perceive to be decent quality work because my goodness this isn’t panning out for me?
Starting up various projects starts money. I just launched my comedy podcast three weeks ago, and already have failed on the consistency of uploading the episodes at a static time. Then I realized, okay, for a media host we’re going to have to buy the $20 package from Libsyn since I didn’t realize how big the episodes are going to come out. That’s 400 MB of space to upload stuff every month. I still have to pay my sight registration and I have to pay the Libsyn monthly. All while living on a fixed income, there’s things I have to get for my baby Teeva, Send money to my daughter, rent, and just living expenses. Remember, it gets better, right? OR so I hope… I just hope!
What about all those connections in radio who said they’d help me out. They have their hands tied but if you understand my hunger since it’s something you’ve experienced, why won’t you give me an ad to read? Help me with my demo? Maybe coach my content, or even let me do a podcast out of your studios so I can get the real feel of a broadcast environment. I can sit down at home, and do radio and still love it till this day. However, there’s nothing like sitting in a legit radio studio, sitting in front of a microphone sitting on a boom arm, ready to present your content as the clocks tick down before the post of a song or before you have to go to break. The routine for a music producer is not always in their home or professional studio. Sometimes they produce great content in another studio; in another environment, or even maybe with people who understand their creative flow and can bounce ideas off of each other. I think that’s why I find talk radio shows, podcasts and morning shows so appealing. I can hear two sides of a conversation since we all think so differently. I’ve found great joy doing my morning show for that reason because my co-host is different in a lot of ways and I think you need difference from people to know what having an open-mind is like. I hate closed-mindedness. The fact that it’s sprinkled with lots of ignorance and its lack of conduciveness to the advancement of this world is at a major high, I can’t stand it. We’re supposed to progress. We’re supposed to make a difference in this world. Imagine if we went back to the 60’s, and its 2015 now and we were still living like the 60’s, wouldn’t we go insane? Seriously?
This radio industry that I’m not yet fully in, I still love. I might complain, bitch and moan but I truly have found my calling. Even in that, everyone’s different. They have a field they feel most passionate about. Mine just happens to be one you really can’t go to school for, one you can’t really teach, one you can’t really learn or one you just have to get tips and pointers from the people you know and love. I have been blessed with a lot of my connections, I just wish at this moment that I could get the smallest little Crum in the radio industry. All this truly becomes discouraging when you have been applying to stations for over two and a half years, in some of the smallest positions, just to work my way up. It’s like, shit, I’m not good enough to even get a shitty board-op job? If I had the job, I’d be grateful but they won’t even higher me for that. It kind of leaves me speechless you guys. Not going to lie, but this is a learning lesson at the end of the day.

Things I’ve learned from all of this:

• From Shelley</a> “Where you are, is where all of us were before.”
• Enjoy all the time that you are not doing anything, so that when you do get a job, you didn’t miss out on all that free time.
• Surround yourself with really good people that will always be there for you in need. Whether financially, or just as an ear. There are levels to this shit and it’s not easy. You need a sense of commonality, or you just simply need to get your mind off of it.
• Constructive criticism is key. If you don’t have anyone close to you telling you what you could have perfected in an on-air break, in a demo or whatever you need to put out there, you’re not going to learn. You need to have tough skin because not everyone’s going to like your shit.
• Prove yourself to yourself. Show yourself why you’re confused on why you may not have gotten a job. What are you doing wrong? Always iron out the kinks in your faults so you can apply those methods later.
• Be aware! Always look. Always send your materials. Always put 200% then the average person you see in everyday life. Learn from other brands. Don’t learn the brand, but learn the formalities of the brand. Learn why the brand is so successful, and what would be your role. With that role, learn its importance and why it could be overshadowed for more important things at the moment.

I love this writing thing. It really feels good to put this down and put it out there.

I started my podcast The Dan Show Live Podcast. It’s a playoff of my old radio show that was uncensored and now it’s back again, with the format before we cleaned up. I hope you enjoy. If you’re easily offended, then it’s not the podcast for you. However, I will be starting my podcast, “Behind the eyes,” very soon where I will speak about my blindness experiences and interview successful blind people all around the world.
Along with all of that, I still am doing my morning show on Z108. The morning show has grown and it sounds just unbelievably amazing. Here’s a little clip when Sam (My co-host) and I interviewed our voice girl for the station, who happens to do a morning show as well.
Listen to it here

I hope you took something from this today. I did learn a lot because it’s refreshing to remember those things when you’re not feeling that high-spirited.

That L word we use to express feeling to family, close friends and significant others is a wild word… It holds so much substance but I’ve been having this conversation with so many people lately and thought I’d put it out there for your input.
I was most recently in a relationship where I thought I felt love. I was in a relationship where I was manipulated to feel like I was in love. I’ll be the first to admit that I have insecurity issues and all that comes from giving so much to people who didn’t deserve it, and answering other people’s insecurities without focusing on mine. In late August, I was sitting with friends on skype (My two best friends who I ‘Love’ dearly), and I was ranting about how love isn’t valued like it used to be. Due to the rush of the world in 2014, the every-man-for-himself mentality in our society has allowed people to not appreciate the small things, and it’s rough. You typically see love between couples right away. It’s as if the L word has become today’s modern-day “crush.” Imagine surprising your lover with a meal and them not really showing how much it meant to them? Why? They don’t have too. They can get it anywhere else and they’d much rather like to be doing something different then cherishing love and taking things at slow paces.
I was on the phone the other day and I blew my own mind. Remember the sound of music back then? Every part of a song was valued. It was cherished, appreciated and as we go on and some of our favorite artists from decades ago pass, it strikes a chill in our bodies because their art was greatly appreciated. I can listen to a song from the 70’s and appreciate every keyboard lick, horn section, vocal run, and drum fill. Well, LOVE is like a song. There are little things that make up love just like instruments, vocal styling’s, mixing, mastering, and talent make up music. We view love today like people view music. Today’s music is all electronically produced, and we have singers slapping pitch correction on their voice to disguise the lack of vocal talent. (Don’t get me wrong, I love music in 2014, so I’m not hating). But the acceptance of today’s music is like us not valuing love. Love now a day is like today’s auto tuned music. We listen to today’s music, accept it, sing along because of its catchiness, and just say, (There’s another pop song on the radio). It’s like love. Oh, here’s another person to love – completely forgetting those important fundamentals that make up what love is supposed to feel like.
So essentially what I’m saying is that love now in 2014 is auto tuned music. Haha I know sounds crazy. I thought it was a crazy analogy myself. In all reality, don’t let anyone convince you to love them and let them do things for you so that you feel like you can’t breakaway. I’m going to be a father because of it and it’s something that hits me every day. I wasn’t ready to be a father. I wasn’t ready to shell out money for a child, and now there’s no going back. If you can prevent something, do it. Save yourself, your career goals/choices and strive to do anything you want. Don’t ever let anyone overshadow that for you. Being manipulated is the worst feeling in the world when you finally squeeze yourself out the situation and finally see how cluttered your mind was.
Thanks for reading this drivel. It means the world to me. Yes. A child is on the way on December 8th, and I appreciate the ‘congratulations’ in advance. I appreciate you looking at the situation positively. I try everyday because I’m going to love that little girl, but it still doesn’t help that I wasn’t ready.
Also, the radio station I’m on during midday’s is doing some huge things. Please check out the website and download the
Z108
App from the AppStore on any platform you’re on. Access to everything Z108 whenever will be at your fingertips. I’m on from 10 A till 2P.
LOVE YOU! Mean it!

Lots of people will tell me that I don’t have to explain myself, but I will for documented sake. I have recently been faced with something in my life that has really brought me down, has stressed me out to the highest degree possible and I’m at the biggest loss of what to do. In such situation, I’m being pulled in 50,000 directions, contorting my body and mind in ways I never thought could be possible. I have learned that no matter what decision you’re going to make, someone is going to get upset, someone is always going to feel left out and that’s the way of the world. Something I keep reminding myself is no matter what decision i make, no matter what choices I make, I can’t let someone, or anyone for that matter, convince me that I’m a bad person or wrong for what I decide and how i feel. I never ever thought I’d be in such situation before and I never thought I’d be this stuck to be at a loss of what the hell to do.
I’m going to be a father. It’s taken me a while to post this to any social media networks because simply I don’t think it’s many people’s business and it’s not something I’m proud about. However, I’m blind, I don’t have a job, and I am trying to persue my career in radio. i remember telling someone the other day that I couldn’t live with the mother in her parents house and her first mode was slamming me about how it’s messed up that I’m not going to be in the child’s life physically and all. I instantly felt guilty, but when you tell people about a situation, everyone’s going to have an opinion, no matter what you do. What people don’t understand is that the mother of my child has a job, is sighted, drives, has a support system where she lives, and has a decent amount of money. If I were to move into her house, I have nothing. I barely get money, I don’t have much family around me, I don’t know her area, I don’t have a job, I have to live by her parents rules, get judged by people who don’t know what it’s like to live with someone with a disability, and i can’t relocate to persue my job in radio. To live in a house with people who would judge every move I would make with my child? I’m not going to live that way. If I want to go home I have to get a ride to the Greyhound station.
So what do I do? Do I get my child on disability until I get a job and do what’s best for me? Do I suffer? Do I deal with people who don’t know many people with a disability? DO i just confine to everyone in that household because I screwed up while the mother succeeds in her job? Do I sign over my rights as a parent? I’m at a loss… The constant fear of people judging me and claiming that I’m a deadbeat dad would absolutely kill me. I know I shouldn’t listen to what people say, but when you’re at such a crossroads, you think of every scenario you’ll be placed in, then think about 20,405 opinions you’ll be receiving.
So why the confusion? To disclose such information about the mother and I is not my business, but it just wasn’t successful and she found out she was pregnant after our relationship ended. So I cover up my stress and anxiety about the whole situation with Red bulls, Rockstars, and kind of push it back. When the mother of my child’s mother had the decency to remotely say I don’t care, I internally lost my mind, thinking to myself, “I’ve been to every single appointment and check up, but 1, and i don’t care? Just cause I can’t make up my mind about moving in here because I’m weighing my options, I don’t care… Cool!” Without even living there, I’m facing ambushing and just something I should definitely look out for, red flags.
Knowing a good majority of the situation, I’d appreciate some type of feedback. As stressful as it might be, i think hearing other thoughts and opinions will help me conjure up something where I win in all ends. Although is that possible? Who knows. That’s for you all to decide for me, for now.

After visiting The biggest station in the country Z100 in New York a few times now, it’s as if everytime got better, better and even more, better! I’ve walked out of the studios with a wealth of knowledge from some of the top notch on-air personalities talked about in the country, and that’s something not everyone gets a chance to have. From hanging out with josh, the immaging director of the morning show, to just witnessing celebreties, to interacting with the staff off air, my visits have turned from fan-girl visits to memorable experiences that I’ll always carry through life. I have to tell you, when i was a kid, I dreamed of visiting Z100, hanging out with Elvis Duran who I grew up listening to and who is respectively my radio hero. I would fall asleep to Z100, and tapes I recorded from the morning show, and I would have those real-like dreams where the audio in real life plays in your dream, and literally dreamt I was there at the studio, adding my input along with the audio. This last time I went though, was an experience in itself that I’ll surely never forget.

I got contacted by phone producer and big sister of mine
Carla Marie
on Monday the 25th, asking me if I could come in at the last minute on Tuesday to be a judge along side
Elvis
and celebraty chef,
Bobby Flay, of the Stuff off. A competition that consists of the members of the morning show cooking stuffing the night before, and we have to judge which one we thought made it the best.
I immediately called my mom and the first words uttered out of my mouth were, “What the f***?” I was shocked. The celebraty that had passed me was Selena Gomez, (Yeah, no big deal), when she came in the time before this back in july, to record interviews. She stopped in front of me, and was like, “Hi,” then she proceeded to pet Teeva. It was very quick though as the security walking with her were moving her along. It was as if the guards were saying, “Move along, nothing to see here…” Nope a-Holes, just a blind guy with a guide dog. (I’m not feeling myself or anything). They weren’t even her security now that I think about it.
Anyway, my response to Carla was, “Hell yeah I’m available. I’ll be there at 7:30, no problem.” Damn it!!!! I was sporting and afro, and my dog had yet been taken for a bath, to get her nails cut, and to get groomed. Last minute plans, lets call PetSmart next. I set up an appointment with Petsmart to have her appointment scheduled for 6:00 P.M. Now, lets go out for a haircut. Needless to say, I had to plan heavily at the last minute, as I knew pictures were going to be posted on Elvis’s website, and I didn’t want to look like the blind guy who can’t dress himself and can’t take care of his appearance. This is a big deal, I don’t know if you guys noticed.
Waking up at 4:20, and leaving at 5:10 in the morning to catch a bus, I arrived at the bus stop around 5:20. Perfect, there was a local bus I could take into the city! I hopped on the bus, paid, checked e-mail, and listened to some music as i was franticly looking at the time to start listening to the show at 6:00 A.M (which i do every morning I’m awake to catch the show to begin with). Thanks for the
IHeartRadio App… (Such a lifesaver you are)!
Carla wanted me in at 7:30, but I got to the city around 6:10, and got to the studio around 6:30. Wow, I’m going to be on the air with a celebraty chef. All the times before I was on the air talking about my blindness which was amazing. But now i got to partake in an experience not a lot of people get to say they’ve had. Thanks to the cab driver who tried to make me feel bad about not giving him a tip when i knew he was over charging me. $17.50 was the price. “Really?” I asked him with such a surprised tone. “Yeah $17.50.” “You’re overcharging me sir…” I’ve taken cabs to the studios and the most I paid was $15, and the least I’ve paid was $12. How is it shy $20? I don’t get it! I gave him a twenty dollar bill, and he asks, “How much change do you want?” I said, “just give me the $2.00.” I hadn’t eaten that morning, so what if i wanted coffee… (I hope this doesn’t make me sound like a cheep bastard). But seriously, i felt like i was getting over charged and how am I going to know if I am or not, right? Especially when cab drivers in New york city have a vendetta against dogs in their cars. He proceeds to say, “You know most people don’t take the dog?” I was like, “I know sir, but I just can’t.” Now keep in mind, I tip very well at restaurants, and have tipped cab drivers very well in the past, but this time i just couldn’t do it.

I sat, hanging out with Kathleen, Carla, and the interns as the on-air light is on, and I’m listening to the show through the intercom on Carla’s desk. Members slowly come out as they cut to a commercial break and here I am, saying hi to my second family once again.
Bobby Flay came in at around 7:30, and they did the topic train with Greg T. Then after that break, Elvis comes out and we start gathering in the studio to do the stuff off at the top of the 8:00 hour. Sitting in between Bethany, and Bobby Flay, already laughing and being dumb together, this is going to be an experience and a half.
We get on the air, (audio coming soon), and we proceed to do what we did. Such a great turn around. I felt really bad as i tried one of the stuffings and it was Bethany’s. Elvis asked me at the wrong time, “How are you doing DJ Dan?” I was like, “I’m good, but that last one was a little rough.” “Oooooooooooohhhh!” Is what I get from the show and then Elvis, “Sorry Bethany.” Bethany, “It’s okay…”
“Crap Dan, what’d you do?!?! You love Bethany. She’s your protector when you go to the show and you just said her cooking was rough on a nationally syndicated radio show heard by millions of people… Damn you Daniel, damn you!!!” I felt soooooo bad because I have a love for Bethany that’s out of this world. She’s the sweetest ever, and now I’ll never be privledged to try another one of her meals. We continued, then got off the air. Bobby was the nicest guy. As I walked out of the studio along side of him, I asked, “Bobby, can I get a picture?” “Of course man.” We gathered in the studio, It was Me, Bobby, Elvis, and Danielle standing against the Elvis Duran covered studio wall, and got a bunch of pictures taken.
Then, he left, and I asked Elvis, “Do you want me to stay in here, or go out?” He’s like, “No you can stay in here…” (Refferencing the studio). Wow! Again I can sit in the studio with headphones on, a microphone no less than three inches away from my face with my hero and his show and just feel like I’m a part of it, like it’s my fulltime job. (I wish)… I sat in on conversations for the next two breaks, added my input as if I was a part of the show, and everything went so well. Just as I had dreamed when I was a kid.

I left the studio at around 10:05, hanging with the interns as they had their, “Top secret morning show meeting,” as stated by Dave Brody the executive producer of the show. Then Brody came out about ten minutes later, talking with the interns. I went to Josh’s studio, to see what kind of production he’s been working on. A ritual when I go to visit the morning show. He was explaining a lot of stuff he had to do because of some of the affiliates the show is syndicated too, then showed some production he has in the works for the days they’re gonna be off for thanksgiving.

Who saw this coming? From Josh’s studio, i hear a guitar being strummed, and a bunch of girls laughing and talking. “What the hell is going on out there?” Josh, “I don’t know man, I just see a lot of girls out there.”
Five to ten minutes later, Carla comes into the production studio and says, “hey Dan, the group Fifth Harmony are here and they’re in love with Teeva.” Because I’m comfortable with the morning show as i call them my second family, I let Teeva rome around and have absolute freedom when I’m there. I know, most guide dog users are going to slam me for that, but she needs to have fun and explore, as well, and I’m very strict with her every other time. I come out, and I know who Fifth Harmony are, I know their songs, so it wasn’t like I was at a loss of who they were. When I tell you guys they are the sweetest girls, I mean they are the sweetest girls in the world! They all came up to me, hugged me, and talked to me as if we knew each other for years, or as if we were going to be best friends. We talked about their upcoming plans, what they liked to do, jingle ball concert, the Demi lavado tour, and the over obsession with my guide dog, Teeva. I was shocked, here are five girls, really huge right now, and they are so humble and down to earth. I was like, “Can I get a picture with you all?” THey’re like, “Uh, of course. Hello!” haha I had Carla run into the studio, grab my phone offf the charger and pose with the girls for a pic.

Then i stood their, talking to two of the girls while the other played with my dog, and then I left them, talked to their management team and we proceeded to talk about my guide dog some more, and get to know them better. I’ve never been the type to overstep my boundries. I knew the girls were their to work, and i also wanted to prove to the morning show staff that I can be responsible around celebraties when they come in. Although, I did hear later, that one of the members from Fifth Harmony was knocked down by Teeva, and the story is halarious. The member of the group was so okay with it, it was no big deal. However, Bethany tweeted about it, and it was halarious to see how many retweets that tweet was getting by all these fan girl accounts on twitter.
Who the hell saw that coming though? Bobby Flay, celebraty chef from the food network, and huge girl group Fifth Harmony talking to me and hanging out with me? Wow!
I then walked into the Z100 studio, where Ronnie Scalzo, who is the board op for Seacrest out in L.A for Z100 and works with the morning show was sitting, and wanted to get to know him better. We talked about him losing his house and everything he owned because of Hurricane Sandy last year, talked to me about the radio industry, and we just laughed and joked around. I got word that Teeva peed on the damn floor. here she goes, getting such giant attention, and is a great reflection on me, and she pees. Damn it, I know she has a fantastic blatter. She can wait, plus I did take her out before we left to the studio so I had this feeling she was going to be okay. Nope… It was cleaned up though and it wasn’t a big deal to the show’s staff after the things Elvis’s dog Max, has done in the past.

Then I hung out with Sam, the replacement for Loren’s spot. I hung out in her studio and we talked about everything under the sun, from the show, to the betles, to our mom’s, Teeva, and production tips just to name a few. She left around 1:50, and I walked back into the Z100 studio, and hung out with my boy JJ, the afternoon jock on Z100, and radio ledgond. We talked about everything, for a great two and a half hours. From the radio industry, recording and voice tracking in radio, my relationship, his thoughts on celebs he’s interviews, audio equipment at home, and my who experience for the day. It was breathtaking.
I left the station around 4:30, hopped into a cab, and headed my way home!

I arrived home super super tired! I was like, “Wow, so tired but what a wonderful day!” After visiting about five times, it gradually got better, and better and better. I walked away learning so much about the radio industry, more about the morning show members, the experience of hanging out with really humble celebraties, and a memory that will always be stamped in my mind. What’s going to happen next time? Who knows, but for now, I’ll sit and just continue to relive those moments in my head, and wait for my next moment to add to the library of knowledge, experience and memories.

From ages fourteen to eighteen, I was a part of a program in New Jersey called LEAD (Leadership, Education, Advocacy and determination). The premise of this program was to provide blind high school students in New Jersey an opportunity to experience many different activities. The program consisted of us attending a chocolate shop, creating our own chocolate goodies, and attended the NFB (National Federation of the blind) center in Baltimore Maryland where I got to fire up and use a chainsaw and grill burgers by my little self, and so much more it would take days to begin to list. My last year of the program, we were informed that the agency that funds the LEAD program received a grant and they decided to take a few students from the program who showed extreme progress and interest in everything they had us do. With the grant the were going to take those selected students and pay them for interships in our interested field. One of the women who worked as a mentor on and off and who’s job is to make sure how much funding was going to LEAD, Maria, knew that I had an extreme interest in music. She knew I sang and that I played piano. Her ex husband is entertainer Marc Anthony’s half brother, and manager. Her daughter, Marc Anthony’s Niece Erika, was the receptionist of Marc Anthony Productions in New York. Maria talked to her daughter and had her ask her dad, and they called me into the office for an interview to intern for an internship in Mr. Anthony’s New York office. I was shocked when I was told I had to miss school and go into the city to interview for an internship.
I started on June 29th. One of the assignments we had to do my first semester in English class was to write an essay on our worst job experience. Of course since this was my first and only, and since it was amazing, I asked her if I could write about the good of my job experience. This is what I wrote:

Marc Anthony Productions, the company belonging to singer, actor and entertainer Marc Anthony, was my place of employment for about two months. The office resides in the heart of New York City, Time Square. Everyday, I looked forward to waking up, and taking another trip into the big city to start my four hour day in the office. I did a major amount of office organizing, booked flights, book tour buses, created a data base for band members that were traveling with him for his summer tour with all their passport and identification information, ordered products for the office, answered phones, and internet research just to name a few. I got to work with people who were closest to Marc Anthony who were some of the nicest people you could meet. People I still am in contact with and glad I have had the opportunity to meet. I have connections in the business whenever I need guidance. It was an internship, and to get such an opportunity out of high school is, and was absolutely a breath taking experience.
Marc Anthony has been in the business for a number of years. He’s an amazing singer and actor, and has had major amount of press with his marriage with actress, dancer and singer Jennifer Lopez. I unfortunately did not get to meet Marc Anthony due to conflicting schedules; however, I got to meet his manager, his assistant, and his manager’s son. His manager’s son is a music producer who has had the opportunity to work with big names in the business. His name is Bigram JR., nickname BJ. He has produced and written songs for major artists in the business, and is always traveling and connecting with different artists. He was an extremely nice guy to meet and took my cd of music and told me he listened to it and complimented me. His manager always made me feel welcome and reassured me that he’s always there when ever I need guidance in the business. He made sure I was doing okay every time he stopped into the office, and was nothing under generous.
In addition to meeting some of the nicest people, what I loved the most about the internship was knowing that I was working with people close to a celebrity. Not only was I working for a major icon especially in the Latin world, I worked with people who had major connections to record labels, radio stations, major magazines, and more. While working there, the news broke out to the public about the divorce between Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. At that point for a few weeks after, I was put on press watch. I had to scout the internet for stories that were being posted that were way out of line about Marc Anthony. That was an experience in itself, because it is crazy to see how things behind the senes are. I was shown how many people it truly takes to get through to get access to a celebrity. It’s fascinating.
Traveling into the city consisted of a bus from Paterson to Port Authority, and then I would walk solo from 8th avenue down to 5th Avenue, with a duffle bag on my right shoulder, and my cane in my left hand. I would walk down the avenues, with forty second street on my left, and the traffic and commotion was something I’ve never experienced before. Every day on my way to work, I passed different smells, stores with music playing, people who worked in many different fields and all this with my cane on very hot and humid mornings. Traffic was non-stop, but because I am very comfortable with my blindness, it wasn’t a major deal. I was just so ecstatic that I can say I worked in my dream place to live and work, New York City. People would come out of their way to help me, and make sure I got to my destination perfectly fine. Most of the time, because I knew where I was going I would thank them and continue on. Some of the generous people would continue to walk with me and I would hold a conversation with them. I even had a chance to meet someone who worked for the TV network MTV. You just never knew who or what you were going to run into in the city.
In conclusion, not only was this an internship that I am able to place on my resumé, it was an opportunity that I am able to say made me realize that I can do whatever I set my mind too. You always hear that being said, but you don’t know the true power till you’re able to walk and see it for yourself. That opportunity opened so many doors for me. It got me to sharpen my mobility skills, learn a little about the industry, friendships, become partners with people who are veterans to the music industry, and most importantly reassurance in myself that I can reach whatever it is I want since I got such a shot at my age.

I don’t know who’d I’d be without this woman!

We all have people that inspire us in our different interests. However, there are main people who motivate us to be hard-working, self-advicating, and educated individuals. These are people who we should shape our lives around. My mother Katherine Gerena, is that person who motivates me. She’s a perfect example of who I not only want to be but who I should be. She’s hard-working, educated, and a best friend. I am very lucky I can be one to call my mother a friend. Those three qualities, however, does not come close to describing what kind of person she truly is.
With two children and one who’s totally blind, one job, and a single mother, my mom did anything in her will to make sure my brother and I were raised to be two respectable young men. She struggled living paycheck by paycheck to get us everything we needed while paying the bills. She spent countless hours in the hospital throughout my period of growing up because of my disability, and still managed to instill manners, proper etiquette and great behavior in us. She was single for seven years, and had so many responsibilities. With all the hardships, she overcame everything. She is still till this day, always trying to motivate me to become better than I am.
My mother is a prime example of someone who is educated and hard-working. She graduated with a diploma, and has no college experience, but yet worked extremely hard and is working a high position at PNC Bank. What got her far was an early job experience at a lawyer’s office that built her to be very educated, sociable, and professional. Just recently, I heard my mother speaking on the phone with her boss, and as soon as she hung up, I expressed to her how much I appreciated her professionalism. That was a prime example of how anyone should be if they want to make it far in the business world. Her professionalism just flowed so smoothly, it was something that I analyzed. She proceeded to tell me, “That’s the only way you make it far and that’s who I want you to be.” At my internship at a major celebrity’s office, I was professional, hard-working, determined and very motivated to use those skills I have learned from my mother to use. It brought me nothing but respect, professionalism in return and great connections and friendships. If I didn’t have my mother’s professionalism to act off, those opportunities would have never come to me.
A best friend is a term we use so loosely. We all claim someone as our best friend without really thinking about what a, “Best friend” is. You can appoint someone your best friend, but are they really? Would they take a bullet for you? Would they fight for you in all your struggles when it comes to people against your disability? Will they let you speak out your problems if it doesn’t mean that they have to speak about themselves? I know there are a lot of people who care about me, this including my closest friends, but I know that my mother would never fail to do any of those things listed above. I know she would do it because she’s a mom, and mothers typically have unconditional love, but she is a best friend. I have had so many struggles in relationships, struggles with people allowing me a chance to show who I am because of my disability, and saying no to me with every chance that arose. Who was there to fight? Who was there to defend me? Who was there to take it to the next level, and to be a bigger voice for me? My mom and she did without expecting anything in return. When it comes to being understanding, listening to people’s problems, and expressing themselves freely, I have become a great rock for them. I learned that all from my mom and her best friendship that she has provided and she continues to provide today.
When you see me, my sense of humor, my personality, my determination, my willingness to learn, and be a better person, that is my mother you’re seeing. Those are qualities that my mother has instilled in me, and I can’t ask for better qualities. I have become such a respectable person, a determined person, and someone who is strong, and ready to take on the world. This is because my mother has been a friend, a shoulder to cry on, my rock, my shield, my confidant, my best friend, and the person who has motivated me to be a fighter, and someone who has instilled the best tools to concur the world face on.