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Um... Could You Repeat The Question? (Part 1)
January 06, 2009 11:50PM
You shouldn't speak until you know what you're talking about. That's why I get uncomfortable with interviews.
~ Brad Pitt
A week ago Monday I was finally called upon to record that Fort Wayne Komets “Game of the Week” interview. Quite literally. Tim Hoke called me and set it up. That’s how I found out that it was going to be on TV after all, and not merely for the scoreboard. And it wasn’t that I didn’t want to do it. I did – very much so. In some part of my overly optimistic brain, I would have liked nothing better than to go on, hit a “home run”, and impress everyone to the point that they'd ask me to be a recurring guest. I could be like those women who stand on the sidelines at football games giving on the spot game reports. How cool would that be? Maybe, just maybe. If I could just be perfect. Yeah, right. As if. Okay, so something like that was silly to hope for. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to look and sound brilliant. This was going to be for TV, after all. And it concerned a sport where female fans are constantly being dismissed as ignorant “puck bunnies" just for having a pulse. This was for ladies everywhere! But what should I WEAR? 
There was, of course, the obvious – my Komets hoodie and some jeans. It’s casual and says, “I’m a big fan.” But it doesn’t draw attention. I’d look like just another fan that someone picked out of the crowd. Okay, so there was always sexy. Tight jeans, low neckline. Oh wait… I wanted respect, not just attention. Then I realized that since Tim always wears a suit to the games, my best strategy was not to stand out, but rather to look like I belonged. I decided to go with a tight black, long sleeve shirt – sexy but conservative – paired with some twill dress pants that a relative who labors under the delusion that I am a responsible adult had given me for Christmas. My hair I wore pulled back only on top in a blatant attempt at distraction. They can’t focus on what I’m saying if they are staring at my long red hair, right? 
Beyond that, I practiced speaking in a loud, clear, confident voice and thinking about what I wanted to say. The last thing I needed was for my mind to go blank once the cameras were rolling. Better to fill the awkward silence with previously rehearsed sound bites that I could blurt out if all else failed. Confident I had done all I could to prepare, and even more certain that none of it was going to matter anyway, I headed off for the game.
The only problem was that it was bobblehead doll night. For those of you unfamiliar with this phenomenon, allow me to explain. For whatever reason, sports teams everywhere have latched onto the idea of making bobbleheads to give away each year featuring a specific player from their lineup. They’re goofy and rarely resemble the person they are supposed to be, yet people clamor for these things. In the case of the Komets, only 1000 are given away annually, so they are highly collectible. People are so desperate for these things, that the team makes a point to give out vouchers at the door instead of dolls – no doubt to prevent people from getting into Jingle All the Way-like fist fights over them. No, I never really thought that much of bobbleheads, but since I didn’t even try to get one the previous year, gosh darn it, I wanted one! 
To be continued (hopefully with pictures)…
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Meanwhile, here is a another great song by the Zambonis to set the mood. And yes, I sing this one around the house and in my car to the point of drawing bewildered stares. Is it any wonder I love their music? Who else could sing lyrics like these with just enough sincerity to make for a fun and thoughtful track? And besides, it rocks!
AWAY GAME (The Zambonis) (2:37)
But don't you worry. It will be alright. 'Cause we've got four home games in a row starting Thursday night...
Christmas Is Going To The Dogs
January 04, 2009 11:50PM
Today, I'm doing another pictoral post since I just got back my pictures from Christmas Eve. Above you see Ayla, the world's worst dog since Marley. She's just smaller, so she can't get into quite as much trouble as he did. Here, she is sitting next to our little Christmas tree, playing with the squeaky polar bear she got from Santa in her stocking. And no, I don't have any kids. Why do you ask?
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, here's a picture from December 22nd that I had a housemate take before he left for the holidays.
Here are the filled stockings that Santa left tucked under our little tree. Needless to say, Ayla's is the one shaped like a paw.
We started to open our gifts just after midnight, as we always tore into our presents on Christmas Eve in my family. Here, Ayla plays with her new football while wearing her new Indianapolis Colts jersey, complete with with Peyton Manning's #18 on the back. And no, I didn't have the heart to tell her that the Colts are out of the playoffs already. 
Ayla's favorite gift -- a box full of treats.
And here you can see Ayla playing with the rest of her new toys -- a "real sounds" horse, an opossum, and a jack. Okay, so I went overboard. I couldn't help it. How can I say no to such a sweet, furry face?
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Vladimir Kulich TV Watch:
VK in the USA: HBO will showing the violent but intelligent shoot 'em up Smokin' Aces in which Vladimir had a small supporting role on Monday, January 5 at 9 PM and again on Saturday, January 10 at 9:45 PM.
VK in the UK: Ground Zero, a story about earthquakes that turns out to be a story about nuclear weapons, will be shown on Sci-Fi and Sci-Fi Plus 1 on Friday, 9 January at 22:00 and 23:00 respectively. For something a bit higher in quality, there is the cult favorite The 13th Warrior, which will be airing on Sky Movies Sci-Fi/Horror and its HD counterpart on Monday, 5 January at 11:45 and 19:00 and on Friday, 9 January at 13:25 and 21:00. For history buffs and students of ancient cultures, it's not to be missed.
The Movie Critic Is: IN
January 02, 2009 10:31PM
no stars = This movie will actually leech the life from you
1/2 * = Never mind the money - I want my two hours back!
* = Just plain bad
* 1/2 = Bad but with some redeeming qualities
** = So-so
** 1/2 = Almost good but doesn't quite get there
*** = A good, solid movie
*** 1/2 = Good, approaching great
**** = A classic for the ages
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Marley & Me: *** Rated: PG Starring: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane, various yellow labs
I’ve always felt that anyone who insists upon a perfectly behaved pooch – one that never gets into trouble and is seen but not heard – was not a true dog lover. To be a true dog lover, one must admire and embrace the impulsive, chaotic, and carefree spirit that is the dog. That, in a nutshell, is what this movie is all about. But it is also about how dogs become members of our family and are always there for us no matter our circumstances. But I don’t think there was every any question as to whether this movie would have a good story, considering that it was based on one of the most heart-warming books of recent years. You want to know how it all comes together. Off the bat, the casting is top notch, and the performances do not disappoint. My only real complaint, if you can call it that, is that as a movie, the story moves quite fast. After all, they had to fit it into a roughly 2 hour schedule. It does feel a bit rushed at times, but the worst part of this is that you can see Marley growing older before your eyes. It’s pretty clear where the story is going, and by the halfway point, I was already dreading the inevitable. Yes, I did cry my eyes out when the end came. Of course I did; I’m a true dog lover. Is this a great film? No. But it is a solid one that is equally adept at drawing laughs and tears.
MARLEY & ME official trailer (2:30)
The Day the Earth Stood Still: * Rated: PG-13 Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Christopher Smith, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm
I know a lot of people felt that remaking such a classic movie was a bad idea from the very beginning. I’m not one of them. How can anyone say that remaking a black and white film that most people have heard of but never seen is a bad idea? I don’t care how good it was. But in this case, the naysayers turned out to be correct. The problem is that this movie feels more like a tribute to the original than a true remake. Even where they try to update it, it ultimately relies on people’s memories of the earlier film to find its appeal. Or to make any sense for that matter. For example, I appreciated its environmental theme, but the writers kept muddling it up with the original story, which was anti-violence. Let me get this straight. Reeves’ “Klaatu” is going to destroy the human race to keep us from destroying the environment, but he changes his mind because he sees Connelly’s character hugging a little boy? How does that prove we are going to stop filling our atmosphere with carbon dioxide? Beyond that, this movie makes the all too common mistake of falling in love with its own special effects to the point of going to yawn-inducing lengths to linger over them. Enough already. You know a film is bad when you begin blotting it from your memory before you are even out the theater door.
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| Real Name: | Wendy |
| Location: | Fort Wayne, IN, USA |
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