Monday, October 27, 2008

More Travel Edition!

I continue this week with more traveling but this time not too much, just to the San Francisco area for some meetings. I had one week to rest and then off I go again. Hopefully this will be the last of work travel for this year and I can catch up on sleep for starters here soon. I think this is too much for me at the moment, I haven't done this much moving around since prior to the surgery last year.

Weekly Update:
Last Wednesday night I attended the premiere for Role Models which was a pretty funny comedy. Not a huge laugher but had some really great moments. At the party afterwards I got some snaps with some folks:

*David Wain- Director of the film and a very nice guy.
*A.D. Miles- One of the cast and a nice guy.
*Clark Duke- Not in this particular film but at the party and a nice guy.
*Jane Lynch- One of the cast and loved her in so many other movies, she seemed pretty nice.
*Joe Lo Truglio- One of the cast and a very cool guy.
*Ken Jeong- One of the cast, very funny and incredibly cool guy.
*Ken Marino- One of the cast and friendly guy.
*Matt Walsh- One of the cast and another really funny and friendly guy.
*Paul Rudd- Main star of the film and an ok guy.
*Seann William Scott- Main star of the film and a VERY cool guy!

There were a few other folks there who I saw but have met already before but I did chat a minute with Kerry Kenney from "Reno 911!" fame and she was such a sweet person.

At the movies:
No surprise here as High School Musical 3: Senior Year earns top honors with a hefty 42 million at the box office weekend. New at #2 is the continuing horror series Saw V with a strong 30.5 million. Dropping down to #3 is "Max Payne" with an extra 7.6 mil. Hanging on to #4 is "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" with another 6.9 mil and slowly making its way to the 100 mil mark. Rounding off the top 5 is the disappointing cop thriller Pride and Glory with only 6.3 mil.

Quote of the week:
"Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful." - Warren Buffett

Other News:

You would think with the election just less than two weeks away there would be all kinds of great news going on! But honestly, it is pretty quiet and stale. I guess the two candidates are pretty much clear on their positions. What I do find interesting in this situation are the VP's. Nothing exciting or of interest coming from Biden but on the Palin side there are all kinds of talks and things that come up. There was the $150,000 wardrobe cost for Palin which she denies and internal turmoil within her campaign camps. I am starting to wonder what is becoming more scarier ... the VP or the President nomination for the Republicans at this time. My favorite thus so far is her claims to being the "mavericks" of this election ... yet nothing will change if they win ... how is that being "maverick"?? On another note, three killed in a roadside bomb in Iraq yesterday while five others wounded. On the good news, the US death toll in Iraq for this month is down to about 1 killed every two days. Last month was about 1 per day but in July it was almost 1 every three days!! Really, how sad is that to say one dieing every other day is good news?

Facts & Tips:
Candles will burn longer and drip less if they are placed in the freezer a few hours before using.

"Doctors say that Nordberg has a 50-50 chance of living, though there's only a 10 percent chance of that." - George Kennedy as Capt. Ed Hocken in "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!"

Monday, October 20, 2008

Orlando Edition

My entire week was spent in Orlando, WOW! I am so exhausted and so glad to be home. Spending a week away on top of being in KC a few days before that and it being almost all business ... it is tiring! I think the hardest part of it all was being in three different hotels during this one long trip.

Weekly Update:
Once again I attended the annual ShowEast convention in Orlando, Florida and it was slightly warm with a bit of humidity but not as bad as what it could have been. The convention itself was pretty dead in general compared to previous years and ShoWest which is in Vegas. This convention in Florida is about 1/3rd the size of Vegas and the pace is much more slower ... it can be nice but also at times boring. The talent turn out is usually pretty lowkey as well however I did manage a picture with one honoree:

*Edward Zwick- He has directed movies such as "Glory," "Courage Under Fire," and "The Last Samurai" as well as many producing credits. He was a VERY cool guy.

At the movies:
Action takes the #1 spot as Max Payne earns 18 million for its debut. Not a GREAT number but decent also considering Fox's recent track record for the summer being very poor. Holding in at #2 is "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" with another 11.2 mil. New at #3 is The Secret Life of Bees with 11 mil and a decent opener for this high buzz film. Showing up at #4 is the off-beat comedy W with only 10.6 mil, also a good but not great number. Rounding up the top 5 is "Eagle Eye" with another 7.3 mil as it inches its way closer to that 100 mil cume mark.

New movies that did not make the top 5: Just one this week as Sex Drive shows up in the #9 spot with only 3.6 mil and no more steam in this little one.

Quote of the week:
"The supply of words on the world market is plentiful, but the demand is falling." - Lech Walesa

Other News:
It's the home stretch for the election with just two weeks left to go and the campaigns are becoming more and more interesting. Obama is hitting the blue (Republican) states to get those votes he desperately needs. McCain is hitting those same states to KEEP the votes he is quickly losing. Sad that if you lose your states that are suppose to be high Republican supporters in general. However, the state of the current union is suggesting WE NEED CHANGE and Obama is promising that and his face-value plans suggest a reversal of our current state of everything. McCain is on COUNTRY FIRST ... what in the world is that suppose to mean? Someone please tell me? COUNTRY FIRST, PEOPLE LAST? It is already country first as it stands because nothing else is first, or second for that matter. Well, let's see if any of the messages change over the course of these two final weeks. If McCain stays on his current platform, he is toast. If for some odd and BIZARRE reason he wins on that platform ... then WE are toast. HOWEVER ... toast sounds about good right now, I think I am hungry.

Facts & Tips:
If there are two full moons in a month, the second one is called a 'blue' moon.

"Winner, winner, chicken dinner!" - Jim Sturgess as Ben Campbell in "21."

Monday, October 13, 2008

TRAVEL/COLUMBUS DAY EDITION

I am out and about traveling and was in Kansas City late in the week and then came into Orlando, Florida for an annual convention. Kansas was fun and there is so much to do there ... if you like to eat meat. Lot of places that serve ... beef but I guess it's about the BBQ. It was all pretty good but funny how the good stuff I had was seafood and Italian foods, go figure that one out. But I did get to meet A LOT of old friends I use to work with at the theatres so it was like going to a big reunion.

Weekly Update:
Other than the traveling, this week has been pretty basic but most of all tiring. Trying to adjust to odd and strange new places completely wrecks my sleeping schedule for at least a couple of days till I can just adjust. Hopefully by the time this week is over I will be use to it ... and then I go home which will throw me off again because of the three-hour time difference. I guess it does beat taking very small 1 to 2 day type of trips and having to go out, come home, go out, come home again ... I DO NOT MISS that from the previous job. I would say 98% of those trips were absolutely pointless and a big waist of time and money. I am glad now that I can decide if they are necessary and they actually take my advice. From what I hear, I have been pretty dang accurate on the meetings/"conventions" I have missed because they were either total duds or total busts. But I do believe I have said in the past that stupidity rules at the old job ... and I guess the tradition continues on.

At the movies:
No surprise here as the pooch takes the weekend crown for "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" earns another 17.5 million. New at #2 is the horror Quarantine as it scares up 14.2 mil. Also new at #3 is Body of Lies as it shows up with 13.1 mil. Hanging in at #4 is "Eagle Eye" with an extra 11 mil. Rounding off the top 5 is "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" with another 6.5 mil.

New movies that did not make the top 5: We do have some this week as The Express comes in at #6 with only 4.7 mil. Showing up at #10 is City of Ember with a very disappointing 3.2 mil for it's debut and FoxWalden continues to flounder at the box office.

Quote of the week:
"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it." - Theodore Roosevelt

Comment Response:
Tina Fey is from SNL and "30 Rock", you are thinking of Julia Louis-Dreyfus who was in "Seinfeld."

Other News:
Seems like the only real news these days is the economy and even that is taking the spotlight from the Presidential race. Not only is our economy dropping like flies but so is the world market, namely Iceland as it plummets into a strange depression. What is funny about our system today is that we should be in a depression but compared to the 1920's and 30's you don't necessarily feel it immediately or the impact isn't as severe as it would have been then. But anyway you look at it or call it, it is there and we are in it but the majority of folks are able to stay above it even if so slightly. The US dollar continues to grow weaker and weaker in the global market but I guess if we still have checks in the checkbook, it must mean we still have money to spend!

Facts & Tips:
A group of cats is called a clowder.

"To fight back when I'm attacked? A dog has that kind of courage."- Rose Byrne as Briseis in "Troy."

Monday, October 06, 2008

Another HOT week with temps pretty much in the 100 degree each day. Then when it would hit around 6PM, it dropped down to about 90, phew!!! But then late night it would be in the 70's but what in the world is going on?? This is not Fall weather, heck it is even extremely hot for summer time! The end of the week cooled down but that was just a day or two. I do not understand what is going on. I do not remember a time when it has been this hot at this time of year and at even that late in the evening!! Global warming? Probably, it really is the only explanation to what is going on and feels like it is slowly getting worse.

Weekly Update:
On Saturday I attended the quarterly and final Geek Fest (Hollywood Collector's Show) for 2008. This thing use to be twice a year and it slowly made its way to 4 times a year ... which is both good and bad. Good because it is cool to go but bad that it tends to be a drain on the wallet at some point. This time around I got some great pics with some cool people:

*Leslie Nielsen- Of the Naked Gun TV and film fame. VERY nice man.
*Corey Haim- Lost boy found but I know him best from License to Drive, cool guy.
*Alan Ruck- Cameron Frye from Ferris Bueller's Day Off!! He was an awesome dude.
*Geri Jewell- Best known from bit parts on the TV show The Facts of Life. Sweet, sweet, sweet lady.
*Roger Corman- B-Movie Master and all-around great guy!
*Barry Bostwick- More recently known as the mayor from the TV show Spin City, another great and classic actor.
*PJ Soles- Loved her in Stripes, such a great lady.
*Nancy Allen- Probably best known for Robocop and another great lady!
*Lisa Wilcox- Incredibly cool and nice lady!

At the movies:
Top 5 at the box office is a little mixed and matched this week as Beverly Hills Chihuahua takes top honors with 29 million to open. Small drop to #2 is "Eagle Eye" with an additional 17.7 mil. New at #3 is Nike and Norah's Infinite Playlist with 12 mil. Hanging in at #4 is "Nights In Rodanthe" with another 7.4 mil. Rounding off (or up) the top 5 is Appaloosa with an extra 5 mil as it goes into wide release.

New movies that did not make the top 5: We have quiet a few this week as it's pretty clear that some studios are just trying to clear house or just don't get it. In at #9 is from the new (but very small) studio Vivendi, An American Carol with only 3.8 million to open and finish pretty much. At the #10 spot is the comedy (??) Religulous with 3.5 mil and I question the comedy because let's be honest, Bill Maher really isn't that funny. At #11 is the interesting film about the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper titled Flash of Genius, based on a true story, opens with 2.3 mil. At the #12 spot is the chilling possibility of Blindness with only 2 mil. Finishing off this very sad list is How to Lose Friends and Alienate People at the #19 spot and with only 1.4 mil.

Quote of the week:
"You will always miss 100% of the shots you do not take."- Wayne Gretsky

Comment Response:
Since the speakers will be in the wall, I guess it doesn't matter what they look like.

Other News:
It has been sort of a slow week in news besides the normal going-ons. You have politics going back and forth, the McCain/Palin camp right now is out of steam and are resorting to name-calling on the Obama/Biden camp ... kind of pathetic really. Sports are interesting right now as you have the early stages of NFL Football, the start of NHL Hockey and Baseball is finally wrapping up after months and months of play. LA Dodgers sweep their series as they advance to the next round and the Angels scape by with a 2-1 game deficit against the Boston Red Sox who are just one game away from taking it away. Odd how the Angels had the best record this season and now they find themselves struggling to survive. British Command in Afghan call it an unwinnable conflict there while two US helicopters go down in Baghdad. So all-in-all it just feels like another week of blandness which I suppose can be good depending on how you look at it. But one thing is for sure ... Palin looks so much like Tina Fey!

Facts & Tips:
Rinsing bacon under cold water before frying can reduce the amount it shrinks by almost 50%.

"You know nothing about the law. You're a used-car salesman, Daniel. You're an ambulance chaser with a rank. You're nothing. Live with that."- Demi Moore as Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway in "A Few Good Men."