Hot or cold ... someone is messing with me. Early in the week it was scorching like crazy. The days in some areas hit over 100 degrees and I happened to be in some of those spots at the time! What is funny is I am in my office and I brought ski gloves to keep them warm because the AC is constantly blowing and it was freezing. I had a room temperate bottle of water from the kitchen in there and by the time I got around to opening it and start drinking, it was a little cold. The nights during this time haven't been the coolest either but not terrible. Lack of breezes in the area however made it just seem warm. Late in the week ... it was like the heat never existed as it the temps dropped back down to 70's and the nights were freezing again. I don't get it.Weekly Update:So this past week was kind of filled with random events. From dinners to a b-day party, kind of tiring but it wasn't that bad. We had another charity mixer last Wednesday in Century City which is west LA. Fun little event but when it started someone thought they recognized this one person so I looked and it was an actor. Of course I had to go up and try and grab a pic which he was more than happy to do:*Bob Balaban- I know him best from all those Christopher Guest films like "For Your Consideration," " Best in Show," and "A Mighty Wind." He was a really cool guy and chatted a little bit with me.Saturday was kind of nutty for me, got up early to go help a friend out with a promotional shoot for a show he is going to try and pitch. That took all morning and day but it was interesting. When I finally got home, I had to hop back in a car and head for a birthday party for a few hours. I was so sleepy but then when I tried to go to bed early ... I couldn't! I guess I had too much on my mind that it keeps you from sleeping or something! Curse you brain!At the movies:
Horror takes the crown this week as The Last Exorcism earns the #1 spot at the box office with a 21.3 million opening. Right behind is the new film Takers with 21 mil. Holding some ground at #3 is "The Expendables" with another 9.5 mil as it struggles to reach 100 mil. Holding strong at #4 is "Eat Pray Love" with 7 mil more. Rounding off the top 5 is "The Other Guys" with an additional 6.6 mil and just short of 100 mil. Kind of a lack lustre box office as the summer comes to an end and with one holiday left next week.Quote of the week:"More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones." - St. Teresa of Avila
Other News:America's Worst Airports ... this is a great list for the frequent traveller although I guess you can't really avoid certain airports depending on where you go but maybe this list will help find ways to avoid why it's the worst on the list. Starting with #5: Boston, MA - I've never been to this airport myself but it doesn't necessarily say why it's the worst but what people aren't noticing or using. The have some great amenities there such as kid play areas, rocking chairs, free wifi and on-site spa but no one is using them. #4: Washington, D.C. - I have been to this but it was so many years ago that I don't remember anything about it. This one ranks apparently because of the limited wifi and comes with fees ... that is kind of an odd reason. #3: St. Louis, MO - Never been, not even for a lay-over but it looks like its lacking clubs and pay for wifi ... I am thinking this list is more for Internet convenience or simply entertainment now. #2: Los Angeles, CA - Well obviously I have been to this one and many times. NOW this one mentions it's all about traffic and airport staff ranking next to last. Yeah, those are two of the biggest factors about LA, you do meet the occasional nice person and get lucky with traffic but don't hold your breath. #1: New York, NY - I've been to JFK briefly and what a rude experience that was! This list mentions all three NY airports (JFK, LaGuardia and Newark) being miserable in terms of food, entertainment, on-time performances and staff efficiency. My experience there was simply unbelievable rudeness.Facts & Tips:
The Capitol building in Washington, D.C. has 365 steps to represent every day of the year."Do it again and you'll be admiring my butt from the pavement with a straw." - Leonard Earl Howze as Mark from "The Ringer."
This summer started off really nice but now it feels like its ending on a ... summer note!!! We had mostly cool days and chilly nights this year and it was nice. Now, the days are hot and the nights warm which is our typical summer day/night. Well, I guess it couldn't last but does this mean the fall will be really warm and the winter just a tad cooler? Our months are just as off as the astrological signs were set hundreds (maybe thousands?) years ago.Weekly Update:
This past week was kind of fun in general. Thursday I attended an annual event down at the Del Mar Race Track just North of San Diego. This is probably my 6th time going and it was nice because they had us inside the dinning room instead of in the stands. There is something nice about being in the stands because you can see the entire track without standing up but going during the summer, it can get pretty toasty pretty fast especially if you are sitting in the sun. Being indoors ensures always being cool however you do not see the entire track, just the outside lanes unless you stand or go outside on the smoking balcony where, well, there are people smoking. But it was still a great event, started off slow and my first race I won a huge $1.40 on top of my $2.00 bet. I let it ride on the next race and lost. Then pretty much lost on the 3rd race but only about $7 so no big deal. The last race I decided to 1) make it my last for the day and just put $2 on a horse I thought had a cool name (Sheekey from Ireland). Turned out, the horse won and I thought, "Cool, I probably won an additional $.80 on top of my $2.00" I literally had twenty cents in my hand to hand the lady so I can get my three bucks and when she put the ticket into the machine, the screen came up $25! I paused and said, "Is that my ticket??" and she handed me my $25!! I turned to my friend and said, "I just got $25 on a $2 bet for that horse to win!" My friend got excited because he did the same thing but put $5 down and walked away with $62 ... the day ended on a good note as we went home right after that! The picture shown is the photo finish of the race I had won ... talk about CLOSE!!!
At the movies:Barely taking the box office crown for this weekend is the spoof Vampires Suck earning a 5-day gross of 18.6 million since it opened last Wednesday. Big drop to #2 is "The Expendables" with an additional 16.5 mil. Slight drop to #3 is "Eat Pray Love" with 12 mil more. New at #4 is the urban comedy Lottery Ticket 11.1 mil and at least double what I expected. Rounding off the top 5 is Piranha 3D earning only 10.4 mil which is way below expectations considering the up-charge on 3-D.New movies that did not make the top 5: Two this week which neither one are very surprising. At #7 is the family sequel of Nanny McPhee Returns opening to 8.3 mil. Sitting at #8 is the rom-com The Switch with 8.1 mil, just shy of being a movie.Quote of the week:"Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder." - Arnold ToynbeeOther News:
Infestation or epidemic ... or both? Recently the US has been hit with an unusual invasion ... bedbugs! "Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite" is an old saying but if you sleep tight or not the little critters are going to bite you. A couple of weeks ago the city of Cleveland was in a state of emergency as their tourism industry was hit with this infestation practically overnight! Travellers staying in hotels ranging from the econo-lodges to 5-star resorts were waking up with bumps all over their bodies. The cause, bedbugs! It was getting so bad that the state called an emergency meeting that involved the Governor, EPA and Homeland Security to figure out what to do with this problem. As they try to figure it out however, the little critters are spreading. A movie theatre in New York City, one of the highest grossing locations in the US, had to shut its doors last Thursday due to bedbugs. Hotels along the Eastern US coast are getting more reports as I'm sure travellers are taking them with them as they go from stop-to-stop and word is some airlines are starting to get hit. Bedbugs themselves feed on human blood but can remain dormant and not eat for years if necessary. Pesticides have been developed in the past to deal with them but as they survive, they evolve and the current insecticides no longer are effective. They are getting worse and it is becoming more and more of a serious matter ... check your beds before you turn in for the night at a hotel, it could save you a trip to the hospital not to mention a good night's sleep!Facts & Tips:
The eye makes movements 50 times every second."We may be small but our hearts are LARGE... metaphorically speaking." - Steve Coogan as Octavius in "Night at the Museum."
So I already have an issue with big cars parking in compacts spots because obviously they are not made for them ... but when they double park, that just makes it all that much more worse!! And what really sucks is when you have a full parking lot, two good spots are gone because of one car. What I saw recently was a brand new Mercedes SUV and I guess since their car is new, they get the double-parking pass. I know most lots are private so parking enforcement can't really issue tickets but shop owners or management should call someone right away to two it or issue the ticket. I really hate knowing they are completely going to get away with it and will continue to do it over and over again. I wish I had a sticker to slap on the windshield of the car that said something like "Learn How to Park!" which of course then the sticker would be a really hassle for them to completely remove!Weekly Update:This past week was kind of quiet which is nice because the upcoming week is going to be crazy! Have a lot of stuff going on and I know I am going to be tired already! OH one thing I forgot to mention last week is I started taking my Improv classes again. I enjoy taking improv because it isn't about being funny or trying to be funny but more of being social. Skills of improvisation does not mean how to be funny on the spot. I think that is a pretty big misconception because what it really trains you to do is listen and expand or being able to fit in any conversation. Usually some humor is involved but that isn't because of improv necessarily but just being able to socialize. Don't think funny and 9 out of 10 times you end up being funny which is also a good thing. If anyone ever has a chance to take a class, I highly recommend it. I have only had one teacher who is great ... I hope they are all like him.At the movies:
Action packed weekend at the box office as the star-studded cast of The Expendables takes top honors with a 34.7 million opening weekend. Coming in #2 is the romantic-adventure film of Eat Pray Love with 23.7 mil. Slight drop to #3 is "The Other Guys" with another 18 mil. Slowly dropping down to #4 is "Inception" earning another 11.4 mil and just shy of the 250 mil cume. Rounding off the top 5 is the comic book hero Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World with a below average expectation of 10.5 mil. However it was not that far below expectation but still ... a bust.Quote of the week:"You can run with the big dogs or sit on the porch and bark." - Wallace Arnold
Other News:Here is an interesting list I stumbled across recently ... and I am not sure where or how this was determined or surveyed. The top 7 food trends that have lost their "cool" or are on the way out ... There doesn't seem to be particular order so I will just present them in the order they have it: #1 Cupcakes - really? I completely disagree with this one because I am seeing a huge increase on stores that are solely selling cupcakes like Sprinkles and Crumbs. These aren't bakeries, they are cupcake shops. I drove by one cupcake place (not sure of the name) and the line was around the corner!! #2 Tuna Tartare - Ok this one I agree with because I never liked it in the first place and I think with the recent massive incline of mercury levels in fish, this fad I can see swimming away. #3 Bubble Tea - mixed on this one because I think it is more of a case of people having no clue what it is. There is also an issue of getting tapioca that is either way to gummy and or too big which makes it very unlikable. #4 Truffle Salt - I don't think I have had this before so no comment on it. #5 The Communal Table - Well if they mean placing strangers with you while you eat, yeah, I can see this going away but otherwise, naw. #6 Chipotle Chili - I can take it or leave it, doesn't really seem to do or add much for me when we have so many other spices out there similar to this one. #7 Lava Cake - It's all in the preparation of this because I have had some terrible lava cakes and I have had some amazing ones.Facts & Tips:
The average person makes 1,140 phone calls per year."The dove act? I'm still working on it. I don't think it's perfect yet. I got my first pair of doves when I was 14 years old. That was the beginning of the formation of that act. So it's been 24 years now that I've been working on it." - Lance Burton
What a tiring week it has been ... a little bit warmer than it has been but I could have used it a bit cooler. You know its kind of hard sometimes to live next to a golf course in the mornings. You want to sleep with the window open but then at least once a week they mow the grass before the crack of dawn. I know why they have to do it that early because you get crazy golfers at first light but still. Small price to pay I guess for always having a nicely cut lawn for a view.Weekly Update:So this was cool, the other day at the office I went to my car during lunch to grab something I forgot. When I was in the parking lot elevator coming back I ran into Aries Spears who is best known as one of the cast of "MadTV" but does have some minor film and TV roles. He was a pretty nice mellow guy who snapped a picture with me.I also went to the OC Fair on Thursday, an annual tradition for me 
now. Every year the seem to feature something new on a stick that is deep fried for your eating pleasure. Not sure what was last year but some of the stuff in the past have been Twinkies, pickle, White Castle burger, and Snickers bar on a stick. All of them dipped in batter and then deep fried to an oily golden brown. This year has probably topped the chart with the new feature of ... butter on a stick! Yes, the put a stick into a stick of butter, dump it in batter and deep fried it. Then they throw in some whipped cream and drizzle chocolate on it like some sort of Sunday ... why?!? There is also a garlic version (pictured) which is still bad! I had to pass because, well, gross is gross but that is just ... gross. They did have something called "The Coronary Combo" which was the deep fried butter and chocolate covered bacon.
At the movies:New #1 at the box office this weekend as comedy chimes in. The action-comedy The Other Guys earns top honors with a nice 35.6 million to open. Definitely ranks up there for both stars of the film as one of their highest (if not the highest) openers for them. Drop down to #2 is "Inception" with 18.6 mil. Dancing it's way to #3 is Step Up 3-D with 15.5 mil which isn't that bad however way below its previous openers. Drop down to #4 is "Salt" with another 11.1 mil as it closes in at 100 mil cume. Rounding off the top 5 is "Dinner for Schmucks" with another 10.4 mil.Quote of the week:"No one has ever bet enough on a winning horse." - Richard SasurlyOther News:
Here is an interesting and cool list I stumbled across ... and I do mean stumbled! The top 10 Best Dance Movies and I say stumble because compared to these that is what I would be doing in them ... #10 - Stomp the Yard (2007): Although I never saw it, I do like a good crew dance routine if done right. #9 - Moulin Rouge (2001): Another one I never saw but I thought this was more about singing than dancing. #8 - White Nights (1985): Yet another I never saw but I have seen a routine from it which was cool. #7 - That's Entertainment (1974): Never saw it from start to finish but the numbers I saw were pretty great. #6 - All That Jazz (1979): Never finished watching this one but it was ok. #5 - West Side Story (1961): GREAT choreography and the first dance sequence is one of the best. #4 - Chicago (2002): I should watch this, I have it ... in fact I have a few copies for some reason. #3 - Dirty Dancing (1987): I don't know if this has best dance but it does have some good stuff, not sure if I would have ranked it as high though. #2 - Saturday Night Fever (1977): Classic but not a fan of the 70's at all. And the #1 Best Dance Movie of all time according to this list ... Singing in the Rain (1952): Totally agree with this from the solo dance of Gene Kelly in the rain to Donald O'Connor's "Make'em Laugh" number ... not to mention many others in such a terrific film. Some others that I shocked to not see on the list were Footloose (1984), Seven Bride for Seven Brothers (1954), and more recently Hairspray (2007). I might have even thrown in Xanadu (1980) into that list which was Gene Kelly's last feature film!
Facts & Tips:The average person uses 150 gallons of water per day for personal use."We're very lucky in the band in that we have two visionaries, David and Nigel, they're like poets, like Shelley and Byron. They're two distinct types of visionaries, it's like fire and ice, basically. I feel my role in the band is to be somewhere in the middle of that, kind of like lukewarm water." - Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls in "This is Spinal Tap."
Hot and cold, hot and cold. It warmed up a bit this past week during the day but the nights remained very cool. I visited some friends camping at the beach which seemed like a very cool place. You can either tent or RV camp it but it was so cold down there during the day with the ocean breezes, I may want to try it but with an RV. Also had a small earthquake late Sunday afternoon. Not sure where it was centered at but it lasted for maybe 2 seconds if that. There was more noise than shake.Weekly Update:Not a whole lot to update on, the last week for the most part was pretty uneventful with a dinner or lunch meeting here or there. This upcoming week looks to be the same as far as I can tell but never know what may pop in there. Been more sleepy lately but had some nights were I couldn't sleep yet still had to get up way early, thrill. Nope, all in all just a very quiet week and hope it stays that way. May go to the OC Fair later this week so that could be something ... everything-on-a-stick, here I come! Ok, not really but they do seem to put just about everything one can imagine on a stick, deep fry it and charge $10 for it! But hey, its the fair and something you do maybe once a year.At the movies:
No change at the box office as "Inception" takes the crown for the third week in a row. We typically don't see that anymore or simply very rare. It chimes in with another 27.5 million and now just short of 200 mil mark. New at #2 is the comedy Dinner for Schmucks with 23.3 mil. Slight drop to #3 is "Salt" with 19.3 mil. Holding strong at #4 is "Despicable Me" earning an additional 15.5 mil and also just short of the 200 mil cume. Rounding off the top 5 is Cats & Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore opening with 12.5 mil.New movies that did not make the top 5: Just one this week and no surprise here as Charlie St. Cloud comes in at the #6 spot with only 12.1 mil.Quote of the week:"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo
Other News:One of Hollywood's better known character actors, Maury Chaykin, passed away last Tuesday on this 61st birthday in Toronto. Cause of death was complications of the heart valve infection. Chaykin had suffered numerous medial problems of recent years and being a hefty man did not help much. Chaykin's career has spanned hundreds of movies and TV appearances including "Dances with Wolves" playing Major Fambrough, the suicidal officer. A notable role in "My Cousin Vinny" as the "magic grits" witness. More recently in the HBO series "Entourage" as Harvey Weingard which is no doubt a mockery of studio executive Harvey Weinstein. Chaykin did most of his work in and on Canadian TV were there was more steady work. He was the comedic side character in many of his roles ... never really had a chance to shine center stage.Facts & Tips:
Smelling apples and/or bananas can help you lose weight."And I have the only weapon that can kill him!" - Isabella Leong as Lin in "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor."
Hot or cold ... someone is messing with me. Early in the week it was scorching like crazy. The days in some areas hit over 100 degrees and I happened to be in some of those spots at the time! What is funny is I am in my office and I brought ski gloves to keep them warm because the AC is constantly blowing and it was freezing. I had a room temperate bottle of water from the kitchen in there and by the time I got around to opening it and start drinking, it was a little cold. The nights during this time haven't been the coolest either but not terrible. Lack of breezes in the area however made it just seem warm. Late in the week ... it was like the heat never existed as it the temps dropped back down to 70's and the nights were freezing again. I don't get it.
Other News:
