In his newly released, best selling memoir, “How I became a Proud Self-Declared Lakewooder: Fighting the Fear and the Stigma”, the author describes how he conquered his fear of becoming the stereotypical Lakewooder.
“For years on end, while living in Lakewood,” the author, Steven Woodlake, writes in his memoir, “there was one fear that kept me up at nights: The big IF. What will happen to me, and will I survive, IF I become a typical Lakewooder?”
“I would wake up in the late hours of the night, in an extreme state of fear, with bucket-loads of sweat pouring down my face,” he writes.
The author goes on to tell the readers how he eventually broke through this fear.
“I was visiting Brooklyn one day,” he writes, “and as I’m walking in the street, a gentlemen approaches me and asks me, ‘Excuse me, sir, are you by any chance, a Lakewooder?’ ”
“My heart sank, and my body froze completely,” Woodlake writes, “I thought my life was coming to an end right there and then, on that Brooklyn street.”
“But then, miraculously,” the author says, “something inside me told me that this is it, that it’s high time for me to finally overcome my fear of being the stereotypical Lakewooder. I stood up straight, with my chin up, and with a bold, assertive and loud voice, I said to the man, “Yes, I’m a true-blooded, 100% Lakewooder, and I’m proud of it! Is that okay with you, sir?!!!”
“The man gave me a strange look, and cautiously walked away from me, while keeping his eyes on me to ensure his safety,” Woodlake writes, “and from that point on, I not only lost my fear of becoming the stereotypical Lakewooder, but I’ve become the ultimate SELF-DECLARED Lakewooder.”
“I wear shirts emblazoned with the words, “I’m a Proud Self-Declared Lakewooder!” he writes.
“I received the distinguished ‘Mr. Lakewooder’ award in 2021,” he boasts in the book.
Mr. Woodlake is currently on a cross-country book tour. However, the city of Lakewood never leaves his mind, even while he’s traveling on the road.
“While I’m traveling, I sleep on a cot that I purchased in Lakewood,” he told reporters, “and I’m only eating food that I brought with me from Lakewood. I even brought along my shtender from Lakewood. It’s heavy, but it’s worth the Shlep.”
Woodlake says he no longer experiences sleepless nights from fear of becoming a Lakewooder. However, he conceded there is another fear that keeps him up at night.
“What happens if everyone in Lakewood becomes like ME?!”
“That’s my newest nightmare,” he said, “and I better find a way to overcome that fear, or I’m in deep trouble!”
“I’ve already come up with a partial solution for this problem,” Woodlake said, as he showed reporters his newly purchased shirts, emblazoned with the words, ‘I’m a Proud Self-Declared Steven Woodlake!’
“I sure hope this works,” he said rather tentatively.
In his newly released, best selling memoir, “How I became a Proud Self-Declared Lakewooder: Fighting the Fear and the Stigma”, the author describes how he conquered his fear of becoming the stereotypical Lakewooder.
“For years on end, while living in Lakewood,” the author, Steven Woodlake, writes in his memoir, “there was one fear that kept me up at nights: The big IF. What will happen to me, and will I survive, IF I become a typical Lakewooder?”
“I would wake up in the late hours of the night, in an extreme state of fear, with bucket-loads of sweat pouring down my face,” he writes.
The author goes on to tell the readers how he eventually broke through this fear.
“I was visiting Brooklyn one day,” he writes, “and as I’m walking in the street, a gentlemen approaches me and asks me, ‘Excuse me, sir, are you by any chance, a Lakewooder?’ ”
“My heart sank, and my body froze completely,” Woodlake writes, “I thought my life was coming to an end right there and then, on that Brooklyn street.”
“But then, miraculously,” the author says, “something inside me told me that this is it, that it’s high time for me to finally overcome my fear of being the stereotypical Lakewooder. I stood up straight, with my chin up, and with a bold, assertive and loud voice, I said to the man, “Yes, I’m a true-blooded, 100% Lakewooder, and I’m proud of it! Is that okay with you, sir?!!!”
“The man gave me a strange look, and cautiously walked away from me, while keeping his eyes on me to ensure his safety,” Woodlake writes, “and from that point on, I not only lost my fear of becoming the stereotypical Lakewooder, but I’ve become the ultimate SELF-DECLARED Lakewooder.”
“I wear shirts emblazoned with the words, “I’m a Proud Self-Declared Lakewooder!” he writes.
“I received the distinguished ‘Mr. Lakewooder’ award in 2021,” he boasts in the book.
Mr. Woodlake is currently on a cross-country book tour. However, the city of Lakewood never leaves his mind, even while he’s traveling on the road.
“While I’m traveling, I sleep on a cot that I purchased in Lakewood,” he told reporters, “and I’m only eating food that I brought with me from Lakewood. I even brought along my shtender from Lakewood. It’s heavy, but it’s worth the Shlep.”
Woodlake says he no longer experiences sleepless nights from fear of becoming a Lakewooder. However, he conceded there is another fear that keeps him up at night.
“What happens if everyone in Lakewood becomes like ME?!”
“That’s my newest nightmare,” he said, “and I better find a way to overcome that fear, or I’m in deep trouble!”
“I’ve already come up with a partial solution for this problem,” Woodlake said, as he showed reporters his newly purchased shirts, emblazoned with the words, ‘I’m a Proud Self-Declared Steven Woodlake!’
“I sure hope this works,” he said rather tentatively.