Tuesday night is date night – where Lisa and I go out together.  This week’s night started a bit early with a trip to the medical center where I found out that my nasty Oscar-Night fall left me with no broken bone…   But with a bleeding kidney.  I will get an ultrasound on Thursday and hopefully all will be fine.

But something else happened tonight at our local dollar store.  There was a song playing, I now cannot remember what it was (maybe Lisa will in a comment)…  The “groove” got to me and as I rounded the corner of an isle I said to Lisa “Hey Lisa, look at this!” and I proceeded to do a silly dance.  When I turned around, there was Lisa — staring at me.  But it was not my Lisa.  It was another Lisa.  Yes, stranger than fiction there was an unknown lady behind me with a name tag around her neck that read “Lisa”.  She looked in stunned silence as apparently some strange man just told her to watch him do a little dance.

I quickly made a b-line for my Lisa and she began to wonder why I was in such a hurry to leave the store.  Boy, was that embarassing.

Somewhere on the web there is probably a blog post, by Lisa, about a strange event where some freaky lookin dude told her to “look at this” and then did a little dance for her.  So, (other) Lisa, if you are reading this — now you know.  You got an insider’s look at the kind of stupid nonsense my Lisa has to put up with daily!  Ohhh.  Poor Lisa.

This April 10 (2009) will mark the 10-year anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful wife, Lisa.  And, last night we got to celebrate a little bit early by joining our local theatre for a night of “That’s Amore” – a cute little game where couples answer questions about each other “Newlywed Game” style.

And my wife, who HATES getting up in front of people actually got on stage and joined me in the competition — and we won!

But, this isn’t really about the game…

The fact that my wife would get up on stage (looking smokin’ hot I might add) and participate in this event meant so much to me.  I know how much she hates/fears being on stage and the fact that she was willing to do this…  I know it was because she, like me, will jump at any chance to show our love to each other.

For these past 10 years I have just been so blessed.  Not only has Lisa given me complete marital bliss for the past 10 years, she (and God) have given me a wonderful family that has far exceeded my childhood dreams.

As I child I had a dream of getting married and having a family with many children; but the reality has been much sweeter than the dream ever was!  Each day I wake up (even when it is to crying little ones) and think to myself how blessed my life is and how lucky I am to have my wife and kids.

A few people have chided me about not blogging enough.  But the truth is, my blog would get boring to readers quickly.  Really, aside from the ocasional gripe about the theatre, all I ever feel like writing about is Lisa — my love for her and my love for the kids…  And maybe now and then about my love for my friends.

***BORING STUFF***

Plus, I work on the computer — so when I get some “free” time the last thing I want to do is MORE on the computer.  I want to spend wime with LISA, CHRISTOPHER, DISNEY, SAMANTHA, and TAYLOR!

That all I have to say… That’s it! WHERE THE HECK IS JOHN!?!?

As everyone knows the world famous WCCT does an big, important, annual awards show called The Willies.  Well, it seems Hollywood / Television has it’s own cute little version of the Willies called the Golden Globes.

Although the awards may not have as much meaning as the Willies do, some people in Hollywood make a big deal out of it anyhow.  So, I have decided to make some picks.  I made them the old fashion way — I guessed as fast as I can so I could actually get the post done.  Make you picks in the comments below!

Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

The Reader

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie – Changeling

Meryl Streep – Doubt

Kristin Scott Thomas – I’ve Loved You So Long

Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Leonardo DiCaprio – Revolutionary Road

Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn – Milk

Brad Pitt – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

Best Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy

Burn After Reading

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Mamma Mia!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Rebecca Hall – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky

Frances McDormand – Burn After Reading

Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia!

Emma Thompson – Last Chance Harvey

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy

Javier Bardem – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Colin Farrell – In Bruges

James Franco – Pineapple Express

Brendan Gleeson – In Bruges

Dustin Hoffman – Last Chance Harvey

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Amy Adams – Doubt

Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis – Doubt

Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler

Kate Winslet – The Reader

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Tom Cruise – Tropic Thunder

Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder

Ralph Fiennes – The Duchess

Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt

Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight

Best Animated Feature Film

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall-E

Best Foreign Language Film

The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)

Everlasting Moments (Sweden, Denmark)

Gomorrah (Italy)

I’ve Loved You So Long (France)

Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

Best Director – Motion Picture

Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire

Stephen Daldry – The Reader

David Fincher – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon

Sam Mendes – Revolutionary Road

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Written by Eric Roth

Doubt
Written by John Patrick Shanley

Frost/Nixon
Written by Peter Morgan

The Reader
Written by David Hare

Slumdog Millionaire
Written by Simon Beaufoy

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Composed by Alexandre Desplat

Changeling
Composed by Clint Eastwood

Defiance
Composed by James Newton Howard

Slumdog Millionaire
Composed by A. R. Rahman

Frost/Nixon
Composed by Hans Zimmer
Best Original Song – Motion Picture

“Down To Earth” – Wall-E
Music By: Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
Lyrics By: Peter Gabriel

“Gran Torino” – Gran Torino
Music By: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens
Lyrics By: Jamie Cullum

“I Thought I Lost You” – Bolt
Music & Lyrics By: Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele

“Once In A Lifetime” – Cadillac Records
Music & Lyrics By: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarmon, Ian Dench, James Dring and Jody Street

“The Wrestler” – The Wrestler
Music & Lyrics By: Bruce Springsteen

Best Television Series – Drama

Dexter (SHOWTIME)

House (FOX)

In Treatment (HBO)

Mad Men (AMC)

True Blood (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama

Sally Field – Brothers & Sisters (ABC)

Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order

January Jones – Mad Men (AMC)

Anna Paquin – True Blood (HBO)

Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (TNT)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama

Gabriel Byrne – In Treatment (HBO)

Michael C. Hall – Dexter (SHOWTIME)

Jon Hamm – Mad Men (AMC)

Hugh Laurie – House (FOX)

Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors (SHOWTIME)

Best Television Series – Musical Or Comedy

30 Rock (NBC)

Californication (SHOWTIME)

Entourage (HBO)

The Office (NBC) — WIN BABY!!!

Weeds (SHOWTIME)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy

Christina Applegate – Samantha Who? (ABC)

America Ferrera – Ugly Betty (ABC)

Tina Fey – 30 Rock (NBC)

Debra Messing – The Starter Wife (USA)

Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds (SHOWTIME)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy

Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (NBC)

Steve Carell – The Office (NBC) 🙂

Kevin Connolly – Entourage (HBO)

David Duchovny – Californication (SHOWTIME)

Tony Shalhoub – Monk (USA)

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television

A Raisin In The Sun (ABC)

Bernard And Doris (HBO)

Cranford (PBS)

John Adams (HBO)

Recount (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Judi Dench – Cranford (PBS)

Catherine Keener – An American Crime

Laura Linney – John Adams (HBO)

Shirley MacLaine – Coco Chanel

Susan Sarandon – Bernard And Doris (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Ralph Fiennes – Bernard And Doris (HBO)

Paul Giamatti – John Adams (HBO)

Kevin Spacey – Recount (HBO)

Kiefer Sutherland – 24 (FOX)

Tom Wilkinson – Recount (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Eileen Atkins – Cranford (PBS)

Laura Dern – Recount (HBO)

Melissa George – In Treatment (HBO)

Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters (ABC)

Dianne Wiest – In Treatment (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother (CBS)

Denis Leary – Recount (HBO)

Jeremy Piven – Entourage (HBO)

Blair Underwood – In Treatment (HBO)

Tom Wilkinson – John Adams (HBO)

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of NFL football.  And my team — the Chicago Bears.

My Bears did not make the playoffs.  No, they blew it by losing to the Houstan Texans on week 17 — the last weekend of the NFL season.  Instead, the Vikings won the NFC North and the Eagles magically stole the final wildcard spot by embarassing the Dallas Cowboys 44-6.

However, even with the Bears out of the playoffs I am still excited about the postseason.  Unlike other popular sports which hold tournement-style elimination series, in the NFL it is lose-and-you’re-out.  To win the Superbowl you have to have a PERFECT postseason record.  So the question now is, who will do it?

In the AFC you have the:

Colts – They started off slow but have been on fire since late October.
Chargers – They’re in the playoffs without a winning record (8-8)!
Ravens – Inconsistent and lack luster.
Dolphins – Had only ONE win last year — this year in the playoffs!
Titans – Their best season ever.  They want to win this for Tennessee.
Steelers – Looking strong and Ben is ok.

In the NFC you have the:

Vikings – It is just hard to take this team too seriously.
Giants – Last year they won the big game.  They are favored to repeat the feat.
Eagles – Needed help to get in – and they got it big time.
Panthers – They have been winning all year.  Solid all-around team.
Cardinals – The Arizona Cardinals?  In the playoffs?  The CARDINALS?
Falcons – This team was expected to be bad.  They are in fact quite good!

This weeks games are:

the Dolphins VS. the Ravens – I PICK THE DOLPHINS BY 2 POINTS
the Colts VS. the Chargers – I SAY IT’S THE COLTS BY 10
the Eagles VS. the Vikings – I LIKE THE EAGLES BY 3
the Cardinals VS. the Falcons – FALCONS BY 12

So, what are your picks?

“…in this room, that I know of, to carry this force.” says the DEA agent teaching a class on gun safety seconds before he shoots himself in the foot! Seriously, this really happened, and it’s kind of funny.  Well, maybe that’s the wrong word to use since someone did get injured…  But admit it, the irony of the situation is tremendously thick.  And if he’s the most qualified person in that room to handle the weapon he accidentally shot himself with, how scary is that?!?

I consider it a small miracle that no one was seriously injured.  Obviously this guy should not have been teaching this class, and I would bet that he was not the only person in the room “professional enough to carry that force”.  But why was the gun loaded in a classroom in the first place?  And why was there at least one little kid in the class?  You can see someone carrying her out of the classroom near the end of the video.  I don’t really know what else to say, so watch it for yourself…  and don’t worry if you surprise yourself with a chuckle – I don’t think it means you’re twisted or anything…  just a healthy dose of irony.  If I was not writing this post so close to bedtime, I would use the opportunity for jokes on puns aplenty about shooting oneself in the foot, putting one’s foot in mouth…  oh, too easy, but not when I’m this tired!  Enjoy, and note how the guy is able to keep his composure and regain control of the classroom, all while being in tremendous pain and presumably bleeding all over the floor – he finally just limps on out of the classroom!

If you’ve seen friends you might remember the episode when Joey, a often unemployed and ridiculously bad actor, gets a review that reads “Not believable as a human being.”…  Well, today I am the received such acclaim.

I am in a local production of the Nerd and play the title character or Rick Steadman; the Nerd.

With such choice phrases used as “over the top” and “upstages the others” and “hard to believe he is a real person” it is indeed time to ask myself the question…  Am I as bad as Joey?

The good news is the show itself got a good review and so did some of my VERY WELL DESERVING castmates!!  🙂  🙂

Oh well.  I can only learn for next time.  I have always found myself a little better at dramatic roles; not a character actor am I.  For now I will have to live with “not being believable as a human being” — or at least “hard to believe he is a real person”.

Well, I got the results from the Ultrasound today and there is good news.  They do not show anything.  So, there is nothing visibly wrong with my Pancreas, Liver, Kidneys, or Gall Bladder.  YEAH!

However, this also brings some bad news.  Lisa & I have to wait to find out what the heck is wrong with me until possibly next Wednesday!

I will be getting a gastroendoscopy and colonoscopy on Thursday and then we will have to wait 3 – 4 business days for the result.  🙁

Wish me luck!  I am trying to keep positive but also must admit I am very scared.  I just am so thankful to have such a wondeful wife to support me!  SHE IS PERFECT!

You guys have to see this…

https://www.news3online.com/index.php?code=71ovE14FDX74r7XW12U9 (click link)

Anyone who knows me well knows that sometimes I can lack confidence.  I suppose years of adolescent torment can do that to someone.  But one thing I was confident in was my ability to make a good persuasive argument.

NOT ANYMORE.

After recent events as a member of our local theatre’s “Play Reading Committee” I am wondering if when I talk I simply make no sense…  If what is a compelling argument (point) to me is just plain stupid to everyone else.

You see, our theatre has a play reading committee where people involved with the theatre meet to discuss what plays and musicals to do for the following season.  This year, to start, we were given the assignment of bringing a complete season (OR TWO – with dates & location) to the meeting and your reason for selecting the shows you named.

As far as I could tell, I was one of the only ones who completed the assignment in it’s entirety.  Some had just a few shows they would reccommend while others had 5-shows for a full season and no particular order.

I brought in two complete seasons…  Shows, dates, and REASONS as to why I picked those shows and those dates.  I made sure to keep in mind the needs of our struggling theatre and the mandates which had been given to us from the Trustees of the theatre.  These mandates were to do a show that involved children, pick one show where everyone who auditioned could be cast, and to pick shows which the audience would have an awareness of already.

The shows I named specifically were:
Bryan in Feb – A Few Good Men (or) Diary of Anne Frank
May in Montpelier – Phantom or Clue the Musical
August in Montpelier – The Goodbye Girl or Lost in Yonkers
October in Bryan – Little Shop of Horrors (Cast ALL)
Nov/Dec in Montpelier – Miracle on 34th Street (Cast ALL **KIDS***)

My logic was to create a season around a theme of “The Movies”.  As many of the general, non-theatre lover, public might not know some core plays — almost everyone has heard of these movies.

I also placed a Christmas show (with kids in the cast) in our December slot, a show with a “Halloween” theme in our October slot (which could be one where we cast everybody), and a serious acting play (drama) at the begining of the season.

I argued that as a theatre we need to do more to entice the public.  Giving them something they already know is a key factor.  This is why so many community theatres in large markets focus on primarily musicals.  While a theatre lover may have heard of Scapin — almost everybody has heard of West Side Story.

Anyway, since we don’t want to do 3 – 5 musicals a year I thought “movies” would be a good way to go…

GUESS NOT.

The latest meeting of the play reading committee has left me with no doubt.  I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.

I have been with the theatre several years now and, not to pat my own back, but the productions I have been heavily involved in have been extremely successful from both a financial and cast-retention standpoint.  However, it seems I make such a poor argument and such little sense that…  Well, as the season begins to form I can see that NONE of my suggestions will be there.

It’s not that I love those shows or anything.  Anyone who knows me knows I would rather do Assassins and Shear Madness…  Or even Noises Off.  But the point is, what I saw as a persuasive arguement (to get known shows in the season) seems to have been more of a pointless and non-compelling one.

It seems that my (obviously misguided) banter has become so apparently flawed that I am just getting ignored now.  For example…

This last meeting we were trying to get any show that already had a director and solidify it into the season.  I reminded the group that I was willing to direct Little Shop of Horrors.

Another member of the committee (a dear friend of mine!) suggested another musical, Honk.  She suggested that she might be able to find a director for that one.

Well, the leader of our committee (who I absolutely adore — no sarcasm — love the guy!) says “I move we commit to Honk and put it in the season since we have a musical that someone will probably want to direct”.

I reminded the committee that we have two other musicals who people have COMMITTED to direct.  Little Shop and Jesus Christ Superstar.  I asked that maybe we commit to one of those.

“No, I think it’s too early to commit to one of those.  Let’s see what happens with some other things first.”

WHAT!?  The same person who JUST WANTED to put HONK (a musical of which he had never seen / heard) into the season because it MIGHT have a director said NO to putting either of the shows I talked about in the season for the reason of??

That is when I relalized — I have completely devalidated (is that a word) myself.  Apparently I have made so many bad mistakes and so many poor arguments that now when I speak it is just considered nonsense.

Oh well.  At least I know now not to think too highly of my persuasive speaking skills.