Friday, October 31, 2008
"Witch of the Day" Winner Announced!
The winner is listed below the two YouTube videos, along with 5 or 6 other stories relating to Halloween which I've intentionally posted there. Just so you don't think nothing new has been written since Tom Waits' "What's He Building In There?".
What is he building in there anyways? Watch the video.
A Scary TGIF! presents...Tom Waits' "What's He Building In There?"!
THIS IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!! Make sure you pause the Imeem Halloweenmusic toward the top right panel. I ran this video last year for Halloween and it freaked people out.
Please don't freak out. Just freak.
A Scary TGIF! presents..."It's the Great Pumpkin"!
My favorite part of the show are the scenes that show Snoopy running through the French countryside. The music, scenery - the mood created is awesome!
Every Holiday has it's Queen; my "Witch of the Day" = FoxSports' Kevin Hench! Yehhh!
Hench's last article for Fox was what would happen if you took scathing political ads and applied them to the sports world. Brett made #1 (out of 10, I believe).
I know who Brett is. I don't think many care who you are, Hench. And I'm pretty sure Brett doesn't either.
Henchie's biggest claims are he's a schlock sports writer, he wrote a movie or two, and he's my "Witch of the Day". There is no comparison.
1) Boomer Esaison - Boomer stated in a recent article that Brett's last 3 games were horrible. OK - the last 3 weeks were: a bye, Oakland (Jets' lost), Kansas City (Jets' won). Favre threw 6 INTs over that 3-week period. Technically, how can you count the bye week? If you don't (which you shouldn't), the game the before the bye was Arizona, in which Brett had one INT against 6 TDs. So, Boomer, Brett's really had two horrible games regarding his INTs - not 3. Learn to count, asswipe.
Looking for scary Halloween fodder to read the little kiddies tonite? Don't read "The Pillowman".
I finished Martin McDonagh's "The Pillowman". Without a doubt, one of the most warped, detestable, screwed up, sick plays I've read.
My Queen Mary Ghost.
Sofa's to die for. (Heard on NPR.)
A Potpourri of Halloween Pix.
(WAIT! There's more...)
Homeless solution = Pumpkin Homes.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
"Nuru i' Yondo". The title of my newest play.
"Nuru i' Yondo".
'Course that's in code so you'll have to figure it out yourself. I've been working on this full-length for some time and it's just nearing the end - first draft, mind you. I'm excited. I can tell you it's a dark comedy in three acts - with the 3rd act being a very, very dark drama.
And if I've spoken to you already about this play, please refrain from commenting about it on this blog (under COMMENT section) by using it's working title. I have two interested publishers and I don't won't no cats left out of no bags. If you love me, you'll do that for me.
We 'Aren't' Marshall (or we wish we weren't right about now).
Speaking of football injuries, here's one you may have forgotten. No, not Joe Thiesman. Destry Wright (not Wight, like the article caption says), a free agent out of Jackson State who joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in his rookie year for the 2000-01 NFL football season. Apparently he was trying to earn the 3rd RB spot but he was tackled in a preseason game against Dallas during a routine run around the left end and his knee was snapped backwards, snapping his fibula and dislocating his ankle. Out for the season.
No word on what happened to Wright after that season.
Aunt Ev blows!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
"Little garlic, dash of parsley and a couple squirts of chocolate. Cooking - Chloe Metz-style!"
The freaking hilarious scene with David Duchovny is here. Now, there's no nudity but there is obscene language so this link is not for the kiddies. If you have Showtime and missed this episode, you have got to see it (I believe they re-run them). It just ran on Sunday - "Vaginatown".
Very cute - but alas, she is wed. (In case you saw this post earlier, there's a couple stories below that were posted after this: BABY AS SHIELD AGAINST TASER and THE FULL TITLE FOR THE BOOK, "KIDNAPPED".
Would you like to know the full name of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, "Kidnapped"?
"Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: How he was Kidnapped and Cast away, his Sufferings in a Desert Isle; his Journey in the Wild Highlands; his acquaintance with Alan Breck Stewart and other notorious Highland Jacobites; with all that he Suffered at the hands of his Uncle, Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws, falsely so-called: Written by Himself and now set forth by Robert Louis Stevenson"
I changed the name of a character in my latest play and the name reminded me of this classic novel. Just so happens that when I was perusing the Internet, I found a site that mapped out the 250 miles (give or take) route that the two main characters of "Kidnapped" - David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart - might have taken (as close as can be determined by the book).
Suddenly I have a mind to look into making the walk myself.
Chapter 22 - Afraid of being tasered? Use a baby as a shield. (Come on - you never thought of that?)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Baby Grace McCann-Glover.
Magic Castle in Hollywood. If anyone asks I was never there.
Left to right: Bobby (Maria's cousin), Donovan & Maria, me, Susie & Jay. I look short, don't I. I'm 5'10"...above average male height. You'll have to pardon my dishevelment but the dress shirt I wore was not meant for use with a tie or jacket. Should've buttoned my jacket for the picture at least - how gauche. D & M are my closest friends in CA - I go to their home in Tujunga near Pasadena every weekend to watch football on the NFL Ticket. They asked me to be godfather to Gywneth, who is due in December. Their first daughter, Grace, was a year in June and I love her very much. I'm babysitting for her this Saturday.
By the way, Bobby disappeared during the evening and no one could seem to find him. Seriously...we still don't where he is.
If you would like to read more about the history of the castle and see a few more pix, click on READ MORE!
(WAIT! There's more...)
(Text is courtesy of The Magic Castle website.)
The Magic Castle is the private clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc, a very special organization devoted to the advancement of the ancient art of magic. The purpose of The Academy is to encourage and promote public interest in the art of magic with particular emphasis on preserving its history as an art form, entertainment medium, and hobby. Beginning with a charter membership of 150, the Academy has grown into a world-renowned fraternal organization with a membership of nearly 5,000 in over two dozen countries. Steve Martin, Jason Alexander, Cary Grant and Johnny Carson have all performed magic here.
After the Lane family moved away in the 1940s, the mansion was divided into a multi-family home, then became a home for the elderly, and was finally transformed into a maze of small apartments. By 1960, the fate of the Mansion was uncertain. Then Milt Larsen met the owner, Thomas O. Glover.
The Lane mansion would become that club. In September of 1961, Milt and a crew of eternally generous friends and volunteers began the extraordinary task of returning this run-down apartment building to its glorious past. After months of scraping and sanding, the rich Victorian elegance began to resurface.
Susie and Maria.
Jets Scalp Chiefs in Nick of Time, 28-24. Jets 4-3 / GB 4-3.
Favre threw to Coles' back shoulder and the receiver quickly broke off his route, made the pivot and pulled in the pass using just his right arm. The drive, which was set up by Leon Washington's 37-yard punt return, went four plays and 46 yards in two minutes, one second. 28-24, Jets.
Favre had rough day, throwing for 3 INT's, so I'm certain he was as thankful to Coles for digging him out of the hole he and the Jets found themselves in as much as for the win. The passes poor choices by Brett (good Brett/bad Brett syndrome) - though the announcers agreed one was thrown to the spot Brett's receiver should've been had the receiver not cut his route short.
The announcers also echoed the sentiment that the Jets were relying heavily on the pass against the Chiefs who are last in the NFL on rush defense. And the Jets had something like 150 rushing yards so it wasn't like their backs weren't gaining yardage.
Which leads me to say that Favre shouldn't have been put in two positions to throw two INT's when the Jets were looking at a 3rd and 2 yards (on both possessions) deep into KC territory (somewhere between the 20 and 30 yard lines).
Favre passed on both - both were INT's. Passes = not good. But he had an open backfield - not even an attempt to keep the Chief's defense honest. And no back to pitch it to if Brett wanted to call an audible. I think they were both bullshit calls by the offense coordinator and Mangini should've stepped in and altered the plays - especially after the first time it happened. Hell, if the Jets don't run for a 1st down, you kick a field goal and get out of it with 6 points (as long as Feeley actually makes his FG's - he missed a 37 yard one earlier).
On Favre's 4th quarter comeback, Coles said, "I believe that's why they brought him in here," said Coles, who played after suffering a concussion last weekend. "No matter what the circumstances are, he always gives you a chance to win. I know he's a little old, but he still can play."
California's Prop 8 Initiative: Misleading Ad Campaign is Obsolutely Unacceptable!
ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Fiscal Impact: Over next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little fiscal impact on state and local governments.
Forget about whether you're for or against this imitative (I'm against it by the way). My immediate concern is with the advertising campaign IN FAVOR of Prop 8. While watching football yesterday, I saw an ad discussing the "errors" of teaching same-sex unions in our schools and I sent a text to my Republican cousin, Scott, saying I'm voting against it. Watch the ad here.
The basic Prop 8 initiative that will be on the ballot has NOTHING to do with the issue of teaching traditional or same-sex marriages. As you read above, it's about whether or not California will recognize same-sex unions as legal marriages. The fact that proponents of Prop 8 are running advertisements shifting the focus to teaching our children in the school system is a misrepresentation of the basic initiative; it's disgraceful. It's misleading. It should be illegal. Why don't Prop 8 proponents start running ads that say your property values will go down once a gay couple moves in next door? Or that this will encourage gay couples to adopt more children, thus, poisoning the minds of more young children?
I don't like to be lied to. I'm disgusted. I need to bitch at someone.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Women Celebs I Love #5 - Terri Nunn of Berlin (@ The Canyon Club last night!).
LAST NIGHT. Terri Nunn and her latest incarnation of Berlin perform at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA. Same place I saw Gordon Lightfoot last weekend and The Zombies in June. It's a helluva venue. Same Terri Nunn. Same songs + new ones. Same voice (actually, I thought she sounded better now). Same charm. Same everything. And I was there - as if 1983 were stretched out over 25 years (me with Terri above). Click on READ MORE!
(WAIT! There's more pictures of Terri, Berlin, a couple videos you won't wanna miss and shots of last night's show.)
Terri Nunn of Berlin fame epitomizes the ultimate rocker chick. Her swagger on stage - to me, her defining trait - is unmatched even by a guy. She was in full voice...honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between her voice in the 80's at Berlin's peak and last night. And the band was right on the money - just younger. Nunn embodies everything sexual and carries a confidence on stage like no other. Had I the invitation from Terri, I would've jumped on stage and made love to her in front of everyone. I'm totally fucking serious.
Here's a couple Youtube video links: "The Metro" in 1983 at Showtime at the Palace in San Fran. - back in the day. I have to laugh - watch the patrons and the bartenders dance. Yeh - that's the way EVERYONE danced back then, people. And "The Metro" today, at Hollywood Park earlier this year (catch out Terri's dress). You may wanna pause the Imeem jukebox on the upper right if you watch these. By the way, "The Metro's" my favorite, can't you tell?
When Berlin first made it big (1982-83) I was a freshman and sophomore in college (Terri's two years older than me). 'Course I remember it and enjoyed it, but I took their music for granted back in the day. Perhaps that's not uncommon - I was living in that moment. As I look back, there was great music in the 80's.
With a glass of wine in hand, Terri was very gracious in signing CDS, posters and taking pictures after the show - as giving as she is on stage. She made a point to thank the audience for, if it weren't for them - you and me - she couldn't do what she loves to do...and that's perform.
The original Berlin. In 2003 the members of Berlin's Love Life era lineup got together at the behest of VH1’s Bands Reunited show, resulting in phone conversations between Crawford (far left - main songwriter and ex-lover of Terri's) and Diamond that Crawford credits with inspiring him to begin writing again. Funny how their former manager said VH1 would never get them together (in-fighting) and that the biggest hurdle was getting Nunn and Crawford to agree - then getting Diamond to agree. Well, they did, and every band member was glad of it and couldn't believe how well they played and sounded after so many years of not playing together. Of all the bands featured on VH1's show, the Berlin segment was my favorite - re-inspiring me to their music.