Janice Maffei — “Me and Marie”
at Funny Over Fifty

If my life were a pizza, there would be
7½ slices in it.

Pepperoni – The storytelling, writer in me. I like things spicy and I hope to tell stories that spark thought, take a while to digest and feel satisfying in the end. My 2017 fellowship at Ucross stoked the pizza oven for me. Thank you, Ucross. 

Prosciutto de Parma – Like the great aged ham, I have invested years in building something of substance with my genius business partner, Joanne Spigner. We help organizations navigate change. VisionFirst is my day job and I’m proud of what we do.

Meatballs –I love my family and got lucky with an awesome son and daughter-in-law (Greg and Samantha) and two remarkable step-kids Dan and Amanda. And three magnificent siblings too – Phil, Lin and Tom. One of my favorite things to do is cook and gather them all around the same table. Meatballs made with my mother’s recipe involving mullica (stale bread) are a staple. See also: How to Bury a Saint.

Avocado & Sprouts – I make time in my life for yoga and mindfulness practice. I’m a novice at all of it and thankful for a beginner’s mind. A favorite destination is The Rubin. It also feels important to make a civic commitment and I do so by serving on the boards of The Lilly Awards and my NYC co-op. 

Margherita – The simple perfection of this basic pie makes it a sturdy staple. Margheritas are my circle of friends and mentors who guide and support me with love and goodwill in the day to day. When I reflect on who I am today, the journey I’ve taken - all those faltering steps along the way - I think of this nourishing foundation, my “go to” posse. They continue to help me discover what it means to be an artist, a woman, a friend, a mother, and a leader. (With a shoutout to RoRo, Lin,  Manda, Dorothy, the Debs, Marsha, Laura, Joanne, Gretch, Mare, Ally, Allie, Amy, Karen, Holly and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Cannoli: Helen, Patti, Jackie, Geri, Anne, and Sandy. And that's for starters...)

Nova with a Big Slice of Apple - I'm in love with the city I claimed as home. I've ditched my car, cozied up to public transportation and worship Central Park. The people are generous and kind. Really. It's a marvel of engineering and pulsing hearts. Yup, I love New York. 

Spinach, Feta & Cherry Tomatoes – This is the last aspirational slice and ½ that I’m working on.  I care deeply about the well-being of girls and women; I tweet about it, write plays about it, serve on a board of the Lilly Awards Foundation, which honors women theatre artists. Here are some of the organizations I support while I find ways to do more:
Kakenya’s Dream
Malala Fund
Let Girls Learn