I was told last week by our GM and my highest-ranking boss in Florida, Shelby, that I was to go over to the Blue Jays Training Complex on the other side of town to help out with some pictures that were going to be taken. I didn't know anything about this except that I would be working with the media staff from Toronto.
It ended up being a sweet morning.
I got there about quarter to 8 and found out that I would be guiding the players from one picture taking spot to the next. I mean ALL the players. This includes all the Major Leaguers along with the other invitees to Spring Training. Upwards of 70 players. So starting with J.P. Arrencebia and ending with Scott Rolen, I was able to meet and greet basically every player associated with the Toronto Blue Jays today.
While I was basically just another face on the staff, I was very happy with the fact that so many of them were so personable. Some of them were downright hilarious, including some of the more well known players. It was a good experience for me because I got a chance to be in more of my element and I was able to interact with the players. Plus, the people I worked with in Toronto (like all of them are) were great and they really just kinda let me get into my groove and work within their little circle they had set up.
I know I'm going to be seeing more of the players as they come in on Wednesday, and I might even get to know them a bit better, but for right now, I'm happy that I was able to get some media back into my work. I had been missing the fact that I couldn't be talking to players or around them in a locker room and hear them talking about baseball stuff, so me being able to be a part of it really makes me happy.
T-minus 38 hours til first pitch. I'm ready for this. Let's do it.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Calm Before The Storm...?
Ah, Spring Training is Wednesday. Let's let that sink in for a bit.
Wednesday.
That is a mere four days away. That is...well, I dunno. It's an interesting thought. I think it signals a change for me. I've been preparing for this. I've been doing all I can to just go to work and do my best and see what happens. Now, for a five and a half week stretch, it becomes non-stop work for literally 40 days. I have experienced a stretch like that, around my birthday last year, where I worked five days a week at ThreeHouse and then worked weekends at KTVU for four straight weeks, and then worked through the 4th of July until that next Friday. It was a stretch I won't soon forget. 33 days. Absolutely crazy. For me, it was very draining, mainly because my ability to just relax after work during the day got suddenly boxed in by more and more work during the summer, trying to keep me busy while the school year was over with. I guess it was worthwhile (I made a whole lot of money in those five weeks) but in the end, when we went to Santa Cruz for a weekend excursion, I figured out why I did it.
Now, I look down the barrel of a true challenge. 18 home games, all to be taken at their highest level, even though they are considered exhibitions games. It takes a lot of work to make sure things go well for a baseball game, and I got a taste of it last night, when Dunedin Stadium hosted the Big Ten/Big East Challenge. (Or is it Big East/Big Ten Challenge? Either way...) I made sure all our sound was up and running, made sure I had scripts for the game, and once the game started, I settled in and enjoyed the games from the PA Box. While I just watched during the first game, I got a feel for what goes into the game from our end: Music, the scoreboard, including our "video board" (I say it in a very loose term because, well, it's not digital so much as it is a bunch of flickering red lights. It's not what you'd see at say...AT&T Park) and how scoring happens. The guys I'll be sharing the box with are really cool, but while I'm running around for Toronto during Spring Training, I'll be looking into what's necessary to make the FSL games entertaining. It's a good experience.
Lately, I've felt some apprehension, though, as it usually is, it's away from work. It's still the same stuff, as well: I'm in a motel, not a house. My money situation isn't the best. Pressure is on everyone to perform, even though I'm always in a helpful mood. It's a different situation, but what I've realized is that this is very much a business, and I still see my end of it as a media outlet. Is that going to stay the same? Probably not, but I think my main thing is that I really only know a scant bit about how business works. I think it'll be beneficial to me down the line, without a doubt, but right now, I still feel lost in figuring out exactly what goes in to everything with the team. It's a lot, too.
At work, though, I've been doing good work. The team website, www.DunedinBlueJays.com, has been looking good thanks to Mike's guidance and some help from the people at MiLB.com. I'm getting the hang of it, and people really like my writing style. The bios for the programs were all my doing, and they really enjoyed them (even with a couple of mistakes here and there, which is expected) but it was still a really good thing to see work presented somewhere. When people read the programs this year, the bios and stats were all compiled by me. That's so sweet. I'm going to make sure and get one before too long here, so I'll have a good souvenir for my time here.
As I look at the clock, it's about 8 p.m., so I'll be looking for a cheap dinner and then settling in. Might watch a movie on TV, might finish off my "30 Rock" Season 2 DVDs, might watch some professional wrestling...there's a lot I could do. I gotta head in to work tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as we will open up to 7 days a week, but I'm looking forward to it. It'll give me some time to really work on bettering some stuff before Wednesday, as Monday, I'll be in a tough spot. I'll probably get some fishing in today, as well, and I think I'll do some more media related stuff at work tomorrow. Next time, maybe I post a video. Maybe I post another long blog. We'll see...
Wednesday.
That is a mere four days away. That is...well, I dunno. It's an interesting thought. I think it signals a change for me. I've been preparing for this. I've been doing all I can to just go to work and do my best and see what happens. Now, for a five and a half week stretch, it becomes non-stop work for literally 40 days. I have experienced a stretch like that, around my birthday last year, where I worked five days a week at ThreeHouse and then worked weekends at KTVU for four straight weeks, and then worked through the 4th of July until that next Friday. It was a stretch I won't soon forget. 33 days. Absolutely crazy. For me, it was very draining, mainly because my ability to just relax after work during the day got suddenly boxed in by more and more work during the summer, trying to keep me busy while the school year was over with. I guess it was worthwhile (I made a whole lot of money in those five weeks) but in the end, when we went to Santa Cruz for a weekend excursion, I figured out why I did it.
Now, I look down the barrel of a true challenge. 18 home games, all to be taken at their highest level, even though they are considered exhibitions games. It takes a lot of work to make sure things go well for a baseball game, and I got a taste of it last night, when Dunedin Stadium hosted the Big Ten/Big East Challenge. (Or is it Big East/Big Ten Challenge? Either way...) I made sure all our sound was up and running, made sure I had scripts for the game, and once the game started, I settled in and enjoyed the games from the PA Box. While I just watched during the first game, I got a feel for what goes into the game from our end: Music, the scoreboard, including our "video board" (I say it in a very loose term because, well, it's not digital so much as it is a bunch of flickering red lights. It's not what you'd see at say...AT&T Park) and how scoring happens. The guys I'll be sharing the box with are really cool, but while I'm running around for Toronto during Spring Training, I'll be looking into what's necessary to make the FSL games entertaining. It's a good experience.
Lately, I've felt some apprehension, though, as it usually is, it's away from work. It's still the same stuff, as well: I'm in a motel, not a house. My money situation isn't the best. Pressure is on everyone to perform, even though I'm always in a helpful mood. It's a different situation, but what I've realized is that this is very much a business, and I still see my end of it as a media outlet. Is that going to stay the same? Probably not, but I think my main thing is that I really only know a scant bit about how business works. I think it'll be beneficial to me down the line, without a doubt, but right now, I still feel lost in figuring out exactly what goes in to everything with the team. It's a lot, too.
At work, though, I've been doing good work. The team website, www.DunedinBlueJays.com, has been looking good thanks to Mike's guidance and some help from the people at MiLB.com. I'm getting the hang of it, and people really like my writing style. The bios for the programs were all my doing, and they really enjoyed them (even with a couple of mistakes here and there, which is expected) but it was still a really good thing to see work presented somewhere. When people read the programs this year, the bios and stats were all compiled by me. That's so sweet. I'm going to make sure and get one before too long here, so I'll have a good souvenir for my time here.
As I look at the clock, it's about 8 p.m., so I'll be looking for a cheap dinner and then settling in. Might watch a movie on TV, might finish off my "30 Rock" Season 2 DVDs, might watch some professional wrestling...there's a lot I could do. I gotta head in to work tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as we will open up to 7 days a week, but I'm looking forward to it. It'll give me some time to really work on bettering some stuff before Wednesday, as Monday, I'll be in a tough spot. I'll probably get some fishing in today, as well, and I think I'll do some more media related stuff at work tomorrow. Next time, maybe I post a video. Maybe I post another long blog. We'll see...
Sunday, February 8, 2009
A Weekend In Delray
For those of you who have been talking with me or been following my time out here in Florida extensively, you know that while there are many good things about my move out here, there are also things that have been troublesome for me. Mainly, it's been the idea that everything around me is unfamiliar outside of work. I have never been this far away from my family and my friends before, and outside of four hour trips to visit family in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale and my roommate here in Dunedin, Mike, I am without a great many things that made me feel complete in my life back in California.
On my trip to Delray Beach this weekend to visit my Uncle Jim, I was ready for a chance to spend a lot of quality time with the family member who was closest to my own Dad: A philosophical man who loves the sea, loves fishing and is very creative. The weekend was something that I won't soon forget, and unlike the first time where I went down south to visit family, where I was basically searching for familiarity in an unfamiliar place, I saw this as an opportunity to gauge where my life was at this very moment, and through conversation and a search for answers to questions that had escaped me, I came out of this visit with perhaps a clearer idea of what my life should be like.
For me, familiarity and comfort went hand in hand all throughout my life. I never lived anywhere outside of the San Francisco Bay Area, and after getting the job out here, I never could have imagined what my life would have been like in the first six weeks away from home. I have had many good things happen to me in my time here, but there have been many moments where I felt life slip away from me; as if for a scant moment or two, I didn't have control of the one thing that I couldn't lose control of.
In spending time with my uncle, who himself has been going through challenging personal times, I have realized that in order for me to live this life the way it deserves to be lived, I have to be willing to accept life as it is at this very moment in time. Amongst the things we talked about, we discussed how accepting life for what it is allows us to not dwell on things we have no control over, or, in other aspects, things that we no LONGER have control over, which is everything in our past. Mistakes that we've made in the past should not be something that lingers after we make them, but rather, they should be kept in the past as they were and should be learned from.
For me, there were a many great thing that happened this weekend. I got a chance to hang out with my young cousin Nate, who at 6 years old can charm you and amaze you at the same time. He has the unbelievable ability to entertain those around him and keep them entertained, and his creativity shines through in every activity he does, which I'm sure comes from his father. His ability to take something as simple as a baby carrot and a goofy hat and turn it into a half-hour circus display is something that very few people in this world, let alone 6-year-old kids, can do, and he'll always keep you involved, just in case you somehow drift off.
I got a chance to do a lot this weekend: I saw Al and Rose and Martina for a couple of hours (Jessica, you were missed), I broke in my new fishing pole, I got a chance to walk around downtown Delray, I watched some great Family Guy episodes and saw "Frost/Nixon" (Good, but outside of Frank Langella's performance, nothing ground breaking) and I got a chance to read "The Tao of Willie," which was a really good read for me considering my state of mind this weekend. Willie Nelson lives a simple life for someone who has achieved so much, but in the end, all he asks is that you love and respect one another, because for the majority of us, to live without either or both leaves us without a basis for a fulfilling life.
The only thing I thought about constantly this weekend was how much I had to improve on my situation outside of work. My life had become somewhat unfulfilled, but I'm slowly looking to change things up. I have a membership to the YMCA. I play poker for free on Thursdays. I've been able to read a little bit, even if it's only fun little humor books. I still do the other stuff I'm prone to doing: Spending time on the Internet, watching TV, etc. However, I'm realizing that in order for me to feel satisfied, I have to look at what I have around me and not what I don't have. I have to accept my situation as is, and do what I can with it to be happy. It was something I read in "The Tao of Willie" that he got from the great philosophy book, "Tao Te Ching," which I had read previously, and is something that rings true with me at this very moment:
"Those who know others are wise;
those who know themselves are enlightened.
My quest now is to know myself. I was who I was for 24 years in the Bay Area, and now that I'm in the other Bay Area, I need to find out if I can still be the same person. In my quest for happiness, the base has been built; I need only build upon it and bring myself happiness and joy. I disclosed a lot of tough feelings this weekend, and I let my mind wander through the depths of sorrow that grabbed at me, but in the end, it was the realization that I had nothing to live for but the happiness of my own life that stayed with me the most. I thank my uncle for helping me realize it, and thank Willie for the assist.
It was on the way home Sunday evening that I heard from my mother that a close family friend had died. Betty Gaston, who was my grandma's best friend and partner in crime, died on Sunday. While I truly only had one grandma while I was alive (my mom's mom died when my mom was a teenager) I like to think I had three others. My Aunt Sandy is like Grandma-lite, as she lives in the true essence of my grandma. Lately, my friend Ben Casias' grandma has become this watchful person in my life, where every time I saw her, she treated me as if I was her own grandson. This being after the death of my grandma a few years back, her undying affection for someone she barely knew was all I need to know to have her as basically another grandma to me. That and she hugged and kissed me as if I was her own.
But Betty...wow, what do I say about her that hasn't been said already? If any of you were lucky to see her at her peak, she was the absolute best. My family would go visit her and her husband, Earl, as we headed down to Disneyland. She and Grandma went way back to the days where my dad's family lived in Port Hueneme, CA, just outside of Ventura, which is where Betty and Earl resided. They would set us up at their house for a night or two and treat us like family, because for the longest time, the only way her family survived was through the Livingstons, and vice versa. Her and Grandma were a dynamite team: Navy wives who didn't take crap from anyone, and who were stern enough to keep things in order, but loving enough to keep you in their good graces.
It also didn't hurt that when the two of them were together, they terrorized my Grandpa. Not so much Earl, who knew of Betty's crazy ways because, well, he married her, but Grandpa would always try to match being a hard-ass with Betty, only Betty knew my Grandpa so well that it would slip off her like Teflon. As much as they adored each other, there was always a jockeying for position there, and as a young kid, it was fun to watch. Now, knowing where she is in Heaven along with my Grandma, they're God's problem now. I mean that in the nicest way possible, by the way. I think God knows that in the meantime, they will have their fun in Heaven, scheming and joking away while they wait for their husbands to return to them, just like back in the Navy days. I'll say this much: between the entrance of both her and John Saleda in the last month into Heaven, that place got a whole lot crazier awfully quick. God better be prepared for a whirlwind of fun with that dynamic duo.
Then again, if Betty had her way for so long down here, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that she's trying to make Heaven her own, as well, and that Grandma, spry as she ever was, has been awaiting her arrival with baited breath, looking to "Raise Hell in Heaven," so to speak. Betty, I got a chance to spend many good times with you, and I'm sorry I never brought a girlfriend down meet you. I know that you, like my grandma, would have looked her up and down and hoped she was half the woman either one of you were, and I would look you in the eye and hope you gave me the old wink and a smile, or the thumbs up like Johnny Carson would give to the comedians he liked.
You were someone who always kept me on my toes, and you were someone who I looked to for a good laugh and sage advice whenever I saw you, and when I saw you on that couch with Grandma, I was always happy to nuzzle in between you two so that I could get both ends of it. You always treated me like I was one of your own, and you being so gracious to me in my life has allowed me to grow that much more as a person. As I look now at my life and strive for happiness, balance and enlightenment, I think about how you showed me so much, and that even though you're gone, your legacy lives on with Earl and the stories that will come from "Bob's kids." I love you and I will miss you, and if you and Grandma find a couch, save some room for me. I'll be ready to kick back and spend much of eternity listening to your stories.
Rest in peace.
On my trip to Delray Beach this weekend to visit my Uncle Jim, I was ready for a chance to spend a lot of quality time with the family member who was closest to my own Dad: A philosophical man who loves the sea, loves fishing and is very creative. The weekend was something that I won't soon forget, and unlike the first time where I went down south to visit family, where I was basically searching for familiarity in an unfamiliar place, I saw this as an opportunity to gauge where my life was at this very moment, and through conversation and a search for answers to questions that had escaped me, I came out of this visit with perhaps a clearer idea of what my life should be like.
For me, familiarity and comfort went hand in hand all throughout my life. I never lived anywhere outside of the San Francisco Bay Area, and after getting the job out here, I never could have imagined what my life would have been like in the first six weeks away from home. I have had many good things happen to me in my time here, but there have been many moments where I felt life slip away from me; as if for a scant moment or two, I didn't have control of the one thing that I couldn't lose control of.
In spending time with my uncle, who himself has been going through challenging personal times, I have realized that in order for me to live this life the way it deserves to be lived, I have to be willing to accept life as it is at this very moment in time. Amongst the things we talked about, we discussed how accepting life for what it is allows us to not dwell on things we have no control over, or, in other aspects, things that we no LONGER have control over, which is everything in our past. Mistakes that we've made in the past should not be something that lingers after we make them, but rather, they should be kept in the past as they were and should be learned from.
For me, there were a many great thing that happened this weekend. I got a chance to hang out with my young cousin Nate, who at 6 years old can charm you and amaze you at the same time. He has the unbelievable ability to entertain those around him and keep them entertained, and his creativity shines through in every activity he does, which I'm sure comes from his father. His ability to take something as simple as a baby carrot and a goofy hat and turn it into a half-hour circus display is something that very few people in this world, let alone 6-year-old kids, can do, and he'll always keep you involved, just in case you somehow drift off.
I got a chance to do a lot this weekend: I saw Al and Rose and Martina for a couple of hours (Jessica, you were missed), I broke in my new fishing pole, I got a chance to walk around downtown Delray, I watched some great Family Guy episodes and saw "Frost/Nixon" (Good, but outside of Frank Langella's performance, nothing ground breaking) and I got a chance to read "The Tao of Willie," which was a really good read for me considering my state of mind this weekend. Willie Nelson lives a simple life for someone who has achieved so much, but in the end, all he asks is that you love and respect one another, because for the majority of us, to live without either or both leaves us without a basis for a fulfilling life.
The only thing I thought about constantly this weekend was how much I had to improve on my situation outside of work. My life had become somewhat unfulfilled, but I'm slowly looking to change things up. I have a membership to the YMCA. I play poker for free on Thursdays. I've been able to read a little bit, even if it's only fun little humor books. I still do the other stuff I'm prone to doing: Spending time on the Internet, watching TV, etc. However, I'm realizing that in order for me to feel satisfied, I have to look at what I have around me and not what I don't have. I have to accept my situation as is, and do what I can with it to be happy. It was something I read in "The Tao of Willie" that he got from the great philosophy book, "Tao Te Ching," which I had read previously, and is something that rings true with me at this very moment:
"Those who know others are wise;
those who know themselves are enlightened.
My quest now is to know myself. I was who I was for 24 years in the Bay Area, and now that I'm in the other Bay Area, I need to find out if I can still be the same person. In my quest for happiness, the base has been built; I need only build upon it and bring myself happiness and joy. I disclosed a lot of tough feelings this weekend, and I let my mind wander through the depths of sorrow that grabbed at me, but in the end, it was the realization that I had nothing to live for but the happiness of my own life that stayed with me the most. I thank my uncle for helping me realize it, and thank Willie for the assist.
It was on the way home Sunday evening that I heard from my mother that a close family friend had died. Betty Gaston, who was my grandma's best friend and partner in crime, died on Sunday. While I truly only had one grandma while I was alive (my mom's mom died when my mom was a teenager) I like to think I had three others. My Aunt Sandy is like Grandma-lite, as she lives in the true essence of my grandma. Lately, my friend Ben Casias' grandma has become this watchful person in my life, where every time I saw her, she treated me as if I was her own grandson. This being after the death of my grandma a few years back, her undying affection for someone she barely knew was all I need to know to have her as basically another grandma to me. That and she hugged and kissed me as if I was her own.
But Betty...wow, what do I say about her that hasn't been said already? If any of you were lucky to see her at her peak, she was the absolute best. My family would go visit her and her husband, Earl, as we headed down to Disneyland. She and Grandma went way back to the days where my dad's family lived in Port Hueneme, CA, just outside of Ventura, which is where Betty and Earl resided. They would set us up at their house for a night or two and treat us like family, because for the longest time, the only way her family survived was through the Livingstons, and vice versa. Her and Grandma were a dynamite team: Navy wives who didn't take crap from anyone, and who were stern enough to keep things in order, but loving enough to keep you in their good graces.
It also didn't hurt that when the two of them were together, they terrorized my Grandpa. Not so much Earl, who knew of Betty's crazy ways because, well, he married her, but Grandpa would always try to match being a hard-ass with Betty, only Betty knew my Grandpa so well that it would slip off her like Teflon. As much as they adored each other, there was always a jockeying for position there, and as a young kid, it was fun to watch. Now, knowing where she is in Heaven along with my Grandma, they're God's problem now. I mean that in the nicest way possible, by the way. I think God knows that in the meantime, they will have their fun in Heaven, scheming and joking away while they wait for their husbands to return to them, just like back in the Navy days. I'll say this much: between the entrance of both her and John Saleda in the last month into Heaven, that place got a whole lot crazier awfully quick. God better be prepared for a whirlwind of fun with that dynamic duo.
Then again, if Betty had her way for so long down here, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that she's trying to make Heaven her own, as well, and that Grandma, spry as she ever was, has been awaiting her arrival with baited breath, looking to "Raise Hell in Heaven," so to speak. Betty, I got a chance to spend many good times with you, and I'm sorry I never brought a girlfriend down meet you. I know that you, like my grandma, would have looked her up and down and hoped she was half the woman either one of you were, and I would look you in the eye and hope you gave me the old wink and a smile, or the thumbs up like Johnny Carson would give to the comedians he liked.
You were someone who always kept me on my toes, and you were someone who I looked to for a good laugh and sage advice whenever I saw you, and when I saw you on that couch with Grandma, I was always happy to nuzzle in between you two so that I could get both ends of it. You always treated me like I was one of your own, and you being so gracious to me in my life has allowed me to grow that much more as a person. As I look now at my life and strive for happiness, balance and enlightenment, I think about how you showed me so much, and that even though you're gone, your legacy lives on with Earl and the stories that will come from "Bob's kids." I love you and I will miss you, and if you and Grandma find a couch, save some room for me. I'll be ready to kick back and spend much of eternity listening to your stories.
Rest in peace.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wednesday Night at 8 p.m. becomes...Must See TV?
So in my time here at the lovely Amberlee Motel in Downtown Dunedin, the only source of entertainment I've been able to have is via phone, whatever Internet connection I can find in one of two spots in my room (either in bed or in one of the reclining chairs by the door) and basic cable TV. With the addition of numerous other things to my computer, and a smidgen of DVDs at my disposal, I can find other means of entertainment, but suffice to say, the TV is what I go to as something that can keep me going.
Normally, Wednesday nights are slow for TV for me. Mondays, I have a great four hour block to choose from if I decide to stay in. Two hours of How I Met Your Mother reruns, a Big Bang Theory episode, and then another How I Met Your Mother. Then, Monday Night RAW until 11, which then begins an hour of Family Guy, whereas I can go between that and Letterman. Tuesdays, I can kinda go for a little while with reruns and/or sports, and then from there, ECW at 9, Nip/Tuck at 10, and then Family Guy/Letterman. Thursdays has the NBC Lineup, with TNA Impact! (If I decide to partake in a little bit of self-damaging behavior) and then Friday's has SmackDown!...or, I go out and do something, if I have the money.
Wednesdays are usually bereft of ANYTHING worthwhile. It's basically a night where you're spinning the wheel and you hope you find something good. Well, what happens if you spin that wheel and you come upon not one, not two...but FIVE things that just say to you, "Watch this, already. Trust me. It's worth it." It's even better when those five things are varied and awesome in their own ways. SO...without further ado, here's what those five choices are! They will be ordered from low cable channel to high, and the final choices have been made and will be revealed at the end. Feel free to play along at home and try to figure out which one I picked!
1. Heat - Ion Network (Local Cable Channel 17)
Oh, boy. Heat, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Let's forget about how long it takes Val Kilmer to get from the shootout to the getaway car for a second, and why DeNiro decides to go get Serrano at a Waffle House or something at 3 in the morning. (Did everyone get the Major League reference that's going to get it? Good. I guess I can also accept "The First President from 24" as well) Let's remember that this might be one of the greatest ensembles casts ever. That the sound effects in this movie are absolutely amazing, which stems from the fantastic shootout scene that is the best in movie history, perhaps save "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and its three-way shootout. Oh, did I mention it was the first time that Pacino and DeNiro are in the same scene for the first time ever, and that the meeting is so tense and awesome that it basically makes the movie? It's major drawback on a night like tonight is that it's 4 hours on TV, meaning you have to invest a while, but boy, if you take on the investment, it's worth it.
2. Animal Planet - Colossal Squids (Cable Channel 35)
This is probably the one where people kinda think to themselves, "Really? Colossal squids?" Okay, first off, look at the picture above. Those things are literally 25 feet long from the bottom of their largest tentacle to the top of their heads. They have been known to eat WHALES as food. They are found off the coast of Japan, and the first time it was ever captured on film, it nearly ate the camera. This isn't your giant squid from "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" or anything, either. They are truly out there, and when it was found last year as opposed to just being documented, it suddenly became one of the biggest things in the history of the study of animals from the sea. Seriously, it's fascinating stuff, but the other thing is that a show like that isn't exactly entertaining. Informative, sure, but entertaining, maybe not. Still, GIANT SQUIDS!
3. Aladdin - Disney Channel (Local Cable Channel 40)
My favorite Disney movie of all time. I love Lilo and Stitch (Which is my 2nd favorite Disney movie of all time) but this movie is about as perfect a Disney movie you could find, as it somehow managed to follow up "Beauty and the Beast" and become this absolutely phenomenal movie that spawned two sequels, and two sequels that DIDN'T COMPLETELY SUCK. That's rare when there are sequels out there like "Pocahontas II" and that "Beauty and the Beast" Christmas movie. Seriously, what's that all about, Disney? You didn't squeeze enough out of the last animated movie to get nominated for a Best Picture Oscar? C'mon, Disney. Really, c'mon.
It's got great comedy (probably the one time other than his Broadway show where Robin Williams going crazy actually had its perks) a nice love story, great songs, and one of the best villains ever in Jafar. He was simply perfect for this role, as both he and Scar in "The Lion King" are very similar in their motives, but Jafar has this greasiness to him that just resonates with me a little bit better. Add in Jasmine's unbelievable hotness for a hand-drawn cartoon character (seriously, you have to give me that one, at least) and you got a great Disney movie. The downside with this one is that with it being on Disney channel, you're subjected to all those damn Disney commercials. None of us want that...
4. The Karate Kid - ABC Family (Local Cable Channel 52)
The definitive 80's movie, and the movie on this list that made me realize I was basically almost writing a Bill Simmons article with this blog post. Seriously, do I have to describe this movie to you at this point? It's a movie I've seen at least 50 times and even now, with it being ingrained in my head for so long, I still love so many scenes: The Halloween Dance, The "moment of realization" in Mr. Miyagi's backyard, the tournament finals. It's a movie that deserves the full attention of a viewer, but on this night, maybe it's not for me. I don't know...
5. First Blood - AMC (Local Cable Channel 64)
Stallone had made "Rocky" and "Rocky II" at this point, and now he was in a movie that was along the lines of the macho image that he had made for himself at this point. Remember this about the movie: Rambo never kills anybody on purpose. He merely tries to avoid the kill, and would rather incapacitate his enemies. It's an extreme case about what war vets go through when they return home to the life of a civilian, but it's still a great movie, no doubt about it. The movies get gorier and and more violent when you get to parts II and III, but this was the movie with the best story and had Brian Dennehy as the small town cop who believed Rambo's nature wasn't welcome in his town. It's probably the definitive macho movie. I'm a big fan.
So, what was the decision? Well, I decided to go with the approach of what I had available to me, and what I didn't. Heat, Aladdin, and The Karate Kid, I all had on DVD. Giant squids...well, the entertainment value just wasn't there, so, it went to First Blood, with commercial breaks being used up by flipping between The Karate Kid and Heat. This led to being able to see the realization scene in "Kid" and the Pacino/DeNiro stare down in Heat before the big heist. Phenomenal stuff on a Wednesday night, especially when you weren't expecting much in the first place.
Normally, Wednesday nights are slow for TV for me. Mondays, I have a great four hour block to choose from if I decide to stay in. Two hours of How I Met Your Mother reruns, a Big Bang Theory episode, and then another How I Met Your Mother. Then, Monday Night RAW until 11, which then begins an hour of Family Guy, whereas I can go between that and Letterman. Tuesdays, I can kinda go for a little while with reruns and/or sports, and then from there, ECW at 9, Nip/Tuck at 10, and then Family Guy/Letterman. Thursdays has the NBC Lineup, with TNA Impact! (If I decide to partake in a little bit of self-damaging behavior) and then Friday's has SmackDown!...or, I go out and do something, if I have the money.
Wednesdays are usually bereft of ANYTHING worthwhile. It's basically a night where you're spinning the wheel and you hope you find something good. Well, what happens if you spin that wheel and you come upon not one, not two...but FIVE things that just say to you, "Watch this, already. Trust me. It's worth it." It's even better when those five things are varied and awesome in their own ways. SO...without further ado, here's what those five choices are! They will be ordered from low cable channel to high, and the final choices have been made and will be revealed at the end. Feel free to play along at home and try to figure out which one I picked!
1. Heat - Ion Network (Local Cable Channel 17)
Oh, boy. Heat, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Let's forget about how long it takes Val Kilmer to get from the shootout to the getaway car for a second, and why DeNiro decides to go get Serrano at a Waffle House or something at 3 in the morning. (Did everyone get the Major League reference that's going to get it? Good. I guess I can also accept "The First President from 24" as well) Let's remember that this might be one of the greatest ensembles casts ever. That the sound effects in this movie are absolutely amazing, which stems from the fantastic shootout scene that is the best in movie history, perhaps save "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and its three-way shootout. Oh, did I mention it was the first time that Pacino and DeNiro are in the same scene for the first time ever, and that the meeting is so tense and awesome that it basically makes the movie? It's major drawback on a night like tonight is that it's 4 hours on TV, meaning you have to invest a while, but boy, if you take on the investment, it's worth it.
2. Animal Planet - Colossal Squids (Cable Channel 35)
This is probably the one where people kinda think to themselves, "Really? Colossal squids?" Okay, first off, look at the picture above. Those things are literally 25 feet long from the bottom of their largest tentacle to the top of their heads. They have been known to eat WHALES as food. They are found off the coast of Japan, and the first time it was ever captured on film, it nearly ate the camera. This isn't your giant squid from "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" or anything, either. They are truly out there, and when it was found last year as opposed to just being documented, it suddenly became one of the biggest things in the history of the study of animals from the sea. Seriously, it's fascinating stuff, but the other thing is that a show like that isn't exactly entertaining. Informative, sure, but entertaining, maybe not. Still, GIANT SQUIDS!
3. Aladdin - Disney Channel (Local Cable Channel 40)
My favorite Disney movie of all time. I love Lilo and Stitch (Which is my 2nd favorite Disney movie of all time) but this movie is about as perfect a Disney movie you could find, as it somehow managed to follow up "Beauty and the Beast" and become this absolutely phenomenal movie that spawned two sequels, and two sequels that DIDN'T COMPLETELY SUCK. That's rare when there are sequels out there like "Pocahontas II" and that "Beauty and the Beast" Christmas movie. Seriously, what's that all about, Disney? You didn't squeeze enough out of the last animated movie to get nominated for a Best Picture Oscar? C'mon, Disney. Really, c'mon.
It's got great comedy (probably the one time other than his Broadway show where Robin Williams going crazy actually had its perks) a nice love story, great songs, and one of the best villains ever in Jafar. He was simply perfect for this role, as both he and Scar in "The Lion King" are very similar in their motives, but Jafar has this greasiness to him that just resonates with me a little bit better. Add in Jasmine's unbelievable hotness for a hand-drawn cartoon character (seriously, you have to give me that one, at least) and you got a great Disney movie. The downside with this one is that with it being on Disney channel, you're subjected to all those damn Disney commercials. None of us want that...
4. The Karate Kid - ABC Family (Local Cable Channel 52)
The definitive 80's movie, and the movie on this list that made me realize I was basically almost writing a Bill Simmons article with this blog post. Seriously, do I have to describe this movie to you at this point? It's a movie I've seen at least 50 times and even now, with it being ingrained in my head for so long, I still love so many scenes: The Halloween Dance, The "moment of realization" in Mr. Miyagi's backyard, the tournament finals. It's a movie that deserves the full attention of a viewer, but on this night, maybe it's not for me. I don't know...
5. First Blood - AMC (Local Cable Channel 64)
Stallone had made "Rocky" and "Rocky II" at this point, and now he was in a movie that was along the lines of the macho image that he had made for himself at this point. Remember this about the movie: Rambo never kills anybody on purpose. He merely tries to avoid the kill, and would rather incapacitate his enemies. It's an extreme case about what war vets go through when they return home to the life of a civilian, but it's still a great movie, no doubt about it. The movies get gorier and and more violent when you get to parts II and III, but this was the movie with the best story and had Brian Dennehy as the small town cop who believed Rambo's nature wasn't welcome in his town. It's probably the definitive macho movie. I'm a big fan.
So, what was the decision? Well, I decided to go with the approach of what I had available to me, and what I didn't. Heat, Aladdin, and The Karate Kid, I all had on DVD. Giant squids...well, the entertainment value just wasn't there, so, it went to First Blood, with commercial breaks being used up by flipping between The Karate Kid and Heat. This led to being able to see the realization scene in "Kid" and the Pacino/DeNiro stare down in Heat before the big heist. Phenomenal stuff on a Wednesday night, especially when you weren't expecting much in the first place.
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