Crazy Week.....

Wow. So I thought that with the play being over with that this would be a nice week to relax and not have to worry about anything much. However, I have had a movie screening, to a movie I actually saw last week, but loved it so much I went back to see the second critic screening for it. It was Guardians of the Galaxy, and I am going out on a limb here and saying that I actually love the Guardians over The Avengers, just a teeny tiny bit. It is hysterical and the action is great. They had a couple of spaceship battles that I hope J.J. Abrams sees while filming the new Star Wars film. They are going to be some good competition, and I think that Guardians raised the bar as far as space battles and  honestly, I love comic book movies, and while I thought that Guardians of the Galaxy was a weird choice to "gamble" on, by picking a not so famous comic book set of characters and stories, Marvel has paid off in a huge way. I have seen it twice now and I enjoyed it just as much the second time around as I did the first. I have more details about my critique that will be published online at The Oquirrh Observer website, but I am telling you these things now since the film opens Friday, and you aren't going to want to miss it. You need to see this one in the theater folks!

Earlier this evening, we got Elliot and I took him on Trax to the Bees Baseball game.  It was a nice evening, there was a little bit of a breeze, but it kind of felt nice after all of the heat we have been having lately. The Bees lost, yet again. Their pitching is terrible. Two Tacoma players were walked home, which is awful. The Bees just can't get a pitcher that can throw strikes. Of course, with Elliot, we had to do some things to keep is interest in everything. There was a $1.00 hot dog promotion, so we got five, I ate four and Elliot ate about half of his, ha ha ha. We broke out the Gummie Bears for Elliot. We went and rode the little train they have for kids out around the outfield range. We were waiting in line, and I watched a kid get on the train, but I didn't think much of it. The train was full, so Elliot and I got to be at the very front of the line for the next ride. A lady came around hysterically crying that her son was missing. I put two and two together and told her that I saw him get on the train. Of course when the train came back around, the relieved mother got her little son and probably hugged him hard enough to turn her into the state for suffocating a child. All joking aside, I was glad to help the mother calm down a little bit by letting her know. Elliot and I rode the train, and then on our way back to our seats, we got some ice cream. They had these little baseball helmet cups with the Bees logo on them. I assumed that they didn't put much ice cream into them considering their size, but after I bought and paid for the ice cream, they put three huge scoops into them. Needless to say, I ate a lot of ice cream while Elliot continued to eat more of his gummie bears. We then left in the 8th inning so that we could beat the crowd to the Trax station. On the way out, we stopped and saw Bumble, the Bees mascot. I am not allowed to tell anyone who he is, but the man in the suit is a really close friend of mine, so he took his time and played with Elliot of a minute. As I said the Bees pitching was terrible, so we didn't mind leaving a little bit early. Elliot fell asleep after five minutes of sitting on the train. It was hard to get him home and into bed.

I found out today that my sister, Christine, is scheduled to have her new baby on Friday morning, well, actually, that is when she will be induced. Family parties are kind of crazy right now, so it is going to be super interesting when we have a new baby. Also, my sister, Gina, is pregnant and is due in August, so it is going to be even more crazy. I am super excited about the new babies coming. I love being a dad and an uncle. I love to play with the kids and I find it fascinating to see what their likes and dislikes are. Sometimes when you are a parent, or a role model for little kids, you have to do some acting. Elliot loves TV shows that I hate, but Elliot thinks they are great. It makes me happy just to sit with him and watch him interact with anything that he is doing. It reminds me of when I was that young and being into lots of different things. Some things are best left to childhood memories over discovering how dumb you find how those things are. I remember watching Masters of the Universe with He-Man, and I put on an episode for Elliot. He liked it, but I sat in disbelief that I could have liked it as much as I did. It was bad, ha ha ha. Either way, I will support Elliot with what he loves and likes to do or watch.

One final thing I found hilarious last night, I am a huge fan of The Simpsons. I have all of the DVDs of the seasons that are out so far, and have downloaded the episodes that they don't have on DVD yet. Sometimes on the show they have really funny signs or something to that effect. For example, They have a cookware store in the Mall that is called "Stoner's Pot Palace". The hippie bus driver, Otto walks out saying that the store has a "flagrant false advertising" title.  Sometime they watch TV on the show, and they scroll lists of things super fast that you can't read unless you pause the show quickly to read them. I was pausing a long list on an episode I watched recently, and I came across one in the middle of the list that said  "If you are reading this list, you don't have a life". I laughed really hard at it at first, then felt slightly saddened at the fact that I have no life. Ha ha ha.

Well, there you have it. My life this week in a nutshell. I just realized how stinking late it is. I need to go check on Elliot now and make sure that he is still sleeping, and hopefully catch some zzzzzz's while I am at it. Have a good night, or day, depending on the time you read this..if you made it this far. I will probably be posting a video blog on Friday or Saturday with videos of my new nephew or niece, since they didn't tell us what the gender of the baby will be.

Until next time, Thanks for reading. Take Care.

Two of my Favorite Things....

So along with being a film critic, people ask me all the time what my favorite movies are. I always tell them my all time favorite is Singin' in the Rain, which is true.  A couple weeks ago, I had Elliot with me and we always watch a movie before bedtime together and I got Singin' in the Rain out to see how long it would take for Elliot to either fall asleep or ask to watch something else. To my surprise, Elliot watched the full movie and laughed all the way through it. He loved it.

I got a picture from my ex-wife of Elliot walking home from church.... Here it is.....

Along with the picture, my ex-wife said that Elliot saw the lamppost and ran up to it, jumped on and started singing "Singin' in the Rain".

I have my favorite movie with my favorite boy in the world. I thought it was super cute, so I decided to share.

19 Days......

Wow. It has been 19 days since I last posted a blog entry. So, let me catch you up to what is going on with me.  I performed my final show as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family musical out at The Empress Theatre in Magna, Utah. I love performing there. There is something special about performing there and the people that come out to act or spectate. It maybe at the end of  a run-down street, probably one of the last bigger buildings, anything further north and you would be in the Great Salt Lake. A little further west and you would be scaling a mountain.

I have been so blessed to have been a part of the show. I loved everyone in the show, and even though the show was double cast, I had a wonderful time rehearsing and going to watch the other cast.

I am kind of funny in some ways. I have a bi-polar disorder, and usually people with bi-polar disorder get super depressed during the winter and then go into a kind of mania in the summer time. For some weird reason, I am the opposite. I usually seem to be in better spirits come winter, and feel depressed in the summer. I have a really great medication and treatment plan that drastically improves my situations with the highs and lows that come with bi-polar disorder, almost to a point where the ups and downs are hardly an issue. Being involved with the show and everyone who put it all together helped my slump stay closer to normal and now I can feel that my mood is rising to around what most people would call normal.

One thing that makes me happy is that during the rehearsals and run of the show, there isn't one person in the cast that didn't help me reach my potential in my character. The list would be too long to go through the full cast and write something about every single person in the cast and crew. I tried really hard to get to know the other actors, whether I already knew them already and got to know them better or people new to the theater. I have made some incredible new friends and deepened my love and appreciation for those I already knew.

Anyway, I have been out to the theater quite a bit from the end of March through now between Shrek The Musical and The Addams Family. It will be nice to take a little break, get back into the swing of things with my film critic gig and have more time and hopefully more money since I won't be buying gas two times a week to travel out to Magna and back home to West Jordan. I hope to spend more time with Elliot and taking him places that would be fun to do. I also am involved again with The Jesters Royale. It is crazy to think that almost five years ago, I was playing a big part in putting together a new improv show format with some close friends of mine, and I am joining the team once again after a two year break to see if we can't produce some more of the improv magic we once had, but by doing it with a couple old friends from the team as well as new players that seem to have a lot of great wit.

Anyway, that is what I am up to these days. I have to brag and tell everyone that I got to see Guardians of the Galaxy two weeks early, and am going back again to see it one week before it opens. I legally can't review it, but the fact that I want to go again should tell you something, wink wink. 

Anyway, have a good morning, day, afternoon, evening, or night depending on when you read this.

If this is your first time visiting my blog, be sure to check out some of the older posts. I have had a lot of fun blogs, my personal favorite is about politically incorrect the first Curious George book is, and if you don't believe me and my points I argue,  I have the pictures from the book to make my case. Also, Jennica, if you read this, I am going to have to look up the C.G. book where he makes pancakes.

Love you all.

Peace Out!

Past Technology and Unappreciative Kids.....

While surfing Facebook this evening, a good friend of mine posted this video.

Kids Today React to The Nintendo Game Boy.


When I was a baby, my parents took pictures of my first Christmas morning. In the unwrapped presents there is a Colecovision. For those of you who do not know what it is, it's a video game console that was Atari's big rival in the beginning of the 1980s. It had the original home version of Donkey Kong and a few other fun games like Mouse Trap, that was kind of a rip off of Pac-Man, but I personally like it better than Pac-Man. Anyway, I played it as a little kid, and it was like the coolest thing ever.

When I was five, for Christmas, Santa brought me the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Probably my very favorite invention during my life so far. I loved that thing to death. When the Nintendo Game Boy was released, I got one for Christmas, which was also amazing. As the years have passed on, I have bought other video game consoles, and consider me to be a "gamer", although I do have other passions in life that I do.

Anyway, I came across the Youtube video that I linked to above, and saw how kids today reacted to the Nintendo Game Boy. Most of the comments were negative.  I still have my Game Boy and actually like taking it with me on car trips and still play those old school games. There is something remarkable about old technology to those who can look back and appreciate it.

Earlier today in fact, I showed Elliot my record collection. He didn't know what to make of it. I told him that is how we used to listen to music. Still, with Elliot being three years old, he didn't understand, but I decided to make it a point to teach Elliot while he is young about technology by letting him use old technology first, for the most part, and helping him see what came before so that he can appreciate modern technology and understand the past. 

It's funny. Every single time I use my iPod, I think of how music was recorded from the first phonograph all the way through now. I think back about how when I was eight, I would get tape cassettes of new albums, then of course, CDs came along. Now, I have my whole music collection on one little device. With in an instant, I can press a button and BAM, there it is. No rewinding tape cassettes, no more CDs with scratches that skip. 

My passion, Film, has come a long way as well. I remember going to movies and the reels would be scratched and sometimes they would burn, (We went to the dollar theater a lot when this would happen). Now, digital projectors make every single showing of a film in high definition in clear picture. I love film history, and I actually love old films that have been transfered over from old film. Like the crackles and pops from an old vinyl record, the scratched film that has seen better days holds a special place in my heart. 

They always say that we must remember the past to make a better future. I whole-heartedly believe that statement, and it is very true, even with entertainment technology. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to go turn on my old box television, turn on the Colecovision, and have a blast from the past!

Kepi - Days That End In "Y" . My favorite song when it comes to Elliot. I love being a parent sometimes...

So a little fact about me before I start getting into this blog. When I was younger, my really cool cousin, Greg, got me interested into punk rock music. Not all kinds of it, but a lot. I am not really into the whole Nazi Punk scene, but I love more bands like the Ramones, Rancid, early Green Day stuff, The Mr. T Experience, and especially The Groovie Ghoulies.



The Groovie Ghoulies did songs kind of like the "Monster Mash" oldies song. Not really about actually being scary and dark, but more happy go lucky Ramones style punk rock. I love that the songs are super catchy and fun, almost like a childlike innocence to them. It is also noteworthy to point out that their lead singer/bass player was a guy, and the lead guitarist was his wife, along with a female drummer. They were one of a kind. They have been broken up for a little while now, but Kepi, their lead singer, still writes music with the same style.



Anyway, I usually catch Kepi when he plays live here in Salt Lake from time to time. The last time he came through town, he had a new CD called "Kepi for Kids". A few were original songs, and a few were Groovie Ghoulies songs that he slowed down and played them more geared towards kids. One thing to mention before you go all crazy and start looking up their stuff on Youtube, Kepi does have a different kind of voice. It is fun with the music and everything, but his voice is pretty distinct. Anyway I posted this blog because I wanted to show off this one song on the CD. I got the video off of Youtube, and it is basically my theme song to Elliot. Kinda cheesy, I know, but still. here are the lyrics if you want to follow along with the song, or just read them for fun..



The song is called "Days That End in "Y".



I love you everyday that ends in "Y"

You can ask, but I can't tell you why,

You make my little heart just flutter and fly.

I love every day that ends in "Y"



Monday is our fun day,

Teusday lose the blues day,

Wednesday is best friends day,

Thrusday his and her day

Friday you're the apple of my eye day

Saturday you really matter day

Sunday you're my number one day

And that leads us back to Monday.

(second time through only) And if they add a new day, then I will love you too, yay!



I love you every day that ends in "Y"

You can ask, but I can't tell you why,

You make my little heart just flutter and fly.

I love you every day that ends in "Y".



Then it repeats because all kids songs repeat everything just sang, lol,



Anyway, I just had to write a blog about it. If you want to know more about Kepi or the Groovie Ghoulies, just let me know, and I will give you more information than you would probably want, lol. 

....Sorry it has been so long. It has been like I had a play opening up or something....

Hey everyone,

So sorry for not posting a blog in like two weeks. Time flies when you are in a play, or asleep. I know it isn't against the law or anything, so again, I am sorry....BUT, just for fun, I live in Utah, and so I thought that I would have some fun and blog about strange laws in Utah and comment on each of them. My mission president in Detroit once told us in a meeting that behind every rule is a moron. Some of these just might have been.

It is illegal to buy or sell an unborn child. It doesn't say anything about giving one away for free...right?

It is illegal to cause a catastrophe. Good to know. I had so many ideas of how to throw our state into chaos.

It is illegal to throw items that are on fire from a moving vehicle. I guess I will have to pull over the next time I do that.

Drunk-Driving laws do not apply to those riding animals. This reminds me of a drunk Lee Marvin riding his horse while drunk in one of my favorite western films, Cat Ballou.

It is illegal to mutilate a library book. Thank goodness I am not a Nazi or a character from Fahrenheit 451.

Boxing matches that allow biting are not allowed. Sorry Mike Tyson.

It is illegal for train operators to throw human waste off of the train. Does that include hobos?

It is illegal to take both hands off of the handlebars of a bicycle at the same time. Ask my mom about this, she crashed into a tree trying this once.

A permit is required to alter the weather in any way. Does this include praying for moisture during a drought in church??? I am actually guilty of this one....

It is illegal to sell alcohol during an emergency stated by the state governor. Seems like it would be needed most to people who drink it during that time.

It is against the law to fish from horseback. Seems like fishing would be a great pastime for those drunk riding a horse specified earlier in this blog.

It is illegal to detonate a nuclear weapon. I think I am on board with this one. Hard to believe that it is on a "crazy laws list".

Driving a car on the sidewalk is against the law. But, what if sidewalk is in between your driveway and the street?

This one only pertains to Ogden, Utah. Only Animal Control or policemen are allowed to molest animals.  I'm not even going to comment on this one.

There you have it. Maybe I will write a blog later on with more laws. I just thought it would be kind of a fun blog to read through. Hope you are all doing well, and as for me, I am still performing The Addams Family as Uncle Fester.  If you haven't come to see the show yet, stop reading this blog, head over to www.empresstheatre.com and get tickets to come see the show. We have been getting great reviews.

Until next time, "Be excellent to each other, and....PARTY ON, DUDES!"