A Saturday Diversion

I so wish I could take credit for finding this, but I saw it on "Ellen" one day when I was at the gym. (Since I'm currently a "lady of leisure", a nice way of saying "unemployed", I can arrange my training sessions for my January race to coincide with some of my favorite TV shows. I have been scheduling my gym time so I can watch the new "Price is Right" with Drew Carey - who I am strangely attracted to. The next time I am in California, I am SO going on that show! But, I digress..) So, anyway, when we were in Japan, I never got to see this show, and it's just as well, as I'd probably never leave the room. Behold...Brain Wall...

I defy you not to laugh. This and a cho-hui...heaven!

Yay!

I know this is interesting to no one else but me, but the Spice Girls are back! If I weren't unemployed, I'd so be there for their reunion tour, but they are paying nowhere near Florida - and dammit, Geri, you owe me one (as I was the oldest "fan" at the Spice Girls concert in Atlanta back in in '98!) So, as long as it's on YouTube, here's their new video...

Ginger, I beg you, pleeeeease come down to see me!

Coming Soon...

Yes, these people are bringing a new child into the world! Congrats to one of my bestest buddies, Carrie and her hubby Jeff as they are pregnant! (Well, actually Carrie's doing all of the "heavy lifting.") And, for those of you who were wondering, I'm still quite content with Boo - although P. and I are thinking of using this picture to send out at Christmas, just to confuse people...

That's our niece, in case you're wondering (and it explains how she could be P.'s kid. My mother is passing this off as her granddaughter, I can assure you of that!) This week, I promise tales from California and Wine Fest!

Nothing to See Here...

Well, everything's still kinda same-old, same-old in my "exciting" life. I may have a lead on a very cool job, but I'm not at liberty to say right now. I went to Long Island, New York this past weekend with P. (who's in the middle of the "Road Trip from Hell".) There was much fishing (I actually impressed P.'s friend Andy, a professional angler, with my mad fishing skillz), eating (probably too much eating) and drinking (I even, inadvertedly, ordered a Long Island Iced Tea!) P. introduced his friends to his "trademark shot", the Backdraft. A splendid time was had by all.

This weekend is Wine Fest, and I promise a thorough report, and photos up until the point where everything gets blurry! More later!

Welfare Mama

Yep, I'm sucking on the gub'ment teat right now, which sucks. Big time. Today I had to go to the unemployment office (optimistically called the "One Stop Career Center" or something close to that) for "orientation" (sounded scary). What a waste of time - at least it was only 30 minutes. One of the gals crammed in the teeny office with me actually took a phone call while the lady in charge was talking to us. That's cojones. So, I'm still unemployed and looking!

Wednesday's post (in yo' face, Rose!)

I have been writing up a storm today (if you missed House or Biggest Loser last night, head on over to the Recapist to see my (really lengthy) recaps.) I had a total "I could kick myself" moment last night. I saw the incredible Henry Rollins last night at a teeny, tiny theater in West Palm. I was parked directly behind his tour bus, which I thought was weird. Henry, as always, delivered a solid 2 hours and 45 minutes of smart humor (which is such a turn-on. I love his adventurous spirit and intellect. He was totally on-point last night.) As I was leaving, I saw a crowd assembled around his tour bus. Thinking, "He'll never come out.", I got in my car and proceeded to leave, which is the moment I saw the man himself emerge from the stage door. But, since I had: a.) no camera and b.) none of his books on hand, I decided not to look like a complete dork and try to re-park the car. I'm sure I would have said something equally as stupid as what I said when I met a comic idol, Eric Idle, when I worked at Universal, "You're my favorite Monty Python guy!" (And I said that completely sober. Honest.) I think "You're my favorite Henry Rollins guy" may have gotten me a place in his act, but I'm sure he was happy to have one less hand to shake. I did it for you, Henry...just remember this for the next time you go on tour, 'cause I'll be armed. Camera, books, photos...I'll have 'em all!

Tales of Unemployment

In keeping with my promise, I'm making my daily contribution, but I'm keeping it short as I am actually working on some writing work AND I'm going to see Henry Rollins tonight (yay!) and still have to get ready.

Let me just say that being (basically) unemployed sucks. I know I'm gaining weight, I have logged countless hours of viewing "The People's Court", "Judge Mathis" and "Judge Judy" and surfing the Internet (not only to see the same 15 jobs I've either applied for and never heard back from or am terribly unqualified for, but to check out the latest in celebrity gossip. Yikes.) I've applied for 20 jobs so far and haven't gotten one phone call. Sad, really. At least I did get a nice writing gig at the Florida Catholic (which is what I'm working on today) and I've had ample time for my recaps (which is also good.) Oh well, hopefully opportunity will come a-knockin' soon!

A promise to myself - and a little Gaffigan for good measure

Ok. Enough is enough. I have to, have to get going with this blogging thing again. I am making a promise to myself to post something, no matter how trivial, every day (here and on Frampton for My 40th.) I'm going to start with a hilarious email I got from one of my favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan:

Reasons Why I'm Glad Summer is Over

No more sunscreen:
For pale people like myself, putting on sunscreen is no simple task. It's a chore. Once when my wife and I were on vacation, she said she was going to the beach and I told her I would meet her down there after I put on sunscreen. I actually got down to the beach a year later. True story. During the summer pale people also have to make sure they get everything covered in that greasy goo. I always miss a place and have a pink smudge tattoo for a week. Or just my ears are sunburned. Very attractive.

No More Legs:
The shorts get put away. Believe me, you don't want to see my legs. Hell, I don't want to see my legs. When I wear shorts people look at me like, "Hey, I'm trying to eat here and you've got those sausage legs". Fair enough. But frankly, I don't want to see your legs either. First of all most legs are just as bad as mine. And the ladies with the really nice legs? Excuse me, I'm trying to concentrate on being a good husband and you are taunting me as you casually walk by on your cell phone filling my head with impure thoughts. How dare you, Madam!

No more outdoors:
During the summer there is way too much pressure to do things outside. "It's sunny. We should do something outside!" Hey I've been outside. It's not that great. Outdoor activities always tend to interrupt my napping and watching of Law & Order marathons.

No more crocs:
Somewhere along the way this summer, adult men decided they would look good in those shoes obviously designed for toddlers or Martha Stewart. They were wrong and unfortunately it will take a change of season to get the dorks out of these garish eyesores. Maybe when it's a little chillier we won't have to be subjected to the 40-year-old guy in purple Crocs. Unfortunately, we are now entering "the men in clogs" part of the year, immediately followed by the even more upsetting "Men in Uggs" season. Ugg! I don't care if "They're comfy". You look like you robbed a teenage girl.

Nothing gets done during the summer:
I don't care what business you are in, everyone seems to view summer as a three-month vacation. The prevailing attitude seems to be "Well it's summer so I'm not gonna do any work". In the entertainment business it's even worse. All summer I seem to hear, "I'm going on vacation and then my boss is going on vacation, so I'll give you an answer in November."

More Bacon:
Now that summer is over I can finally enjoy eating tons of bacon.
Sure I always eat a lot of bacon, but during the fall it seems to tastes better. Let's be honest, bacon is more enjoyable to eat in a sweatshirt than in a bikini. Maybe that's just me. Boy, do I love me some bacon.

Back to Sugar: See, now wasn't that easy? More to come, I promise!

Sad News

Morning anchor Tom Schaad confirms that he is leaving WESH-Channel 2 in October after nearly 12 years there.

He is looking for another job but doesn't have "anything in stone." And he is diplomatic about leaving.

"That's the TV business," he says. "We all understand that. They make changes to accommodate the viewer. You have to abide by that. It's one of the things you accept when you become an anchor."

He is upbeat about those dozen years at the NBC affiliate. His morning newscast usually ran second to the one on WFTV-Channel 9.

"It's a good stint at a television station," Schaad says. "I love Central Florida. The viewers have been so kind. With all the choices you have in morning news, to do as well as we've done, I'm proud of that."

Let me be the first to say that visiting Orlando will definitely not be the same after Tom departs. A little expositon here, (and a BIG disclaimer) I had a huge crush on Tom when I was working at WESH oh, so many years ago. I regard him as a great friend and know that wherever he ends up, he's going to be a huge success. I hoist a big, P.F. Chang lettuce wrap to you, Tom!

Update

I'm still alive, just kind of unemployed right now. I promise updates real soon, including a full recap of "Christine's California Adventure". Will write (anything) for food, electricity, dog bones, etc!

I'm back...well, sort of....

Well kids, I'm off to California for my 4th half marathon. Yes, I'm insane. When I return, I promise a full update - unemployment, house sellings and details on my California Adventure (since I kinda have that kind of time now.) In the meantime, enjoy the clip that has me completely in love with "Flight of the Conchords on HBO....

How I Spent My Summer Vacation, part 1

Well, I finally got off my dead and dying and decided to upload a few photos. Now you can see what I've been up to this summer (so far). First off (and most importantly), my li'l sis got married. Here's a pic of the happy couple trying to navigate the whole intertwined wine glass toast thingy...

Love ya sis and Stan! Another activity that's been making the summer of '07 lots of fun are Sundays at "The Cove" with Justin, Michelle and the gang. It's basically an excuse to get some sun and enjoy some adult beverages. here we are this past Sunday. And before you say it, yes, I will be sending this picture to VH-1 the next time they're casting for "Rock of Love"...

Yee-haw! Last, but not least, I finally got to meet one of my favorite comedians, Harland Williams (the "six second ab" guy from "There's Something About Mary", but more importantly Roberta from my new favorite cult classic "Sorority Boys.") We saw him at the Improv, and he was more than happy to sign my DVD copy of "Boys" and pose for a photo. Whatta guy!

Well, I feel like I've accomplished something...now, onto my resume!

I Can Feel Myself Getting Dumber...

I am losing it. I have managed to find a job more tedious than answering dumb questions for the soft drink company. If I have to write one more description for an ugly and/or overpriced lamp or candleholder, I may have to strangle someone. I need a thesaurus. I've pretty much spent "elegant", "decorative", "ornate" and "contemporary". Yuck. So, when I feel I have hit rock bottom, when I feel like there's no light at the end of this sad, home decor tunnel, I resort to things like this...

Yes, that's the Village People. This was my favorite part of their awful movie "Can't Stop the Music" (of course it's in my notorious "bad movie collection".) It's a commercial they made for milk - in the flick they did it for money so they could record a demo and make it big. Which they did, of course. Longest. Commercial. Ever. I am a big enough person to admit that I have this song on my i-Pod, and it's a favorite. Go ahead, listen to it again. And think of me, right brain deteriorating at a rapid pace.

Why I Miss Working in Television

I'm taking a walk down memory lane today. Actually, I'm procrastinating. For those of you who have randomly stumbled upon this page and don't know me, I spent quite a few years working in television production. I worked at WESH in Orlando (Hi Tom!) for a number of years and worked in the control room at CNN for one tumultuous year. (I'm going to write about it sometime. I promise. I have tons of stories!) So, imagine my delight at seeing blooper reels from CNN on the YouTube. This first one has some clips from other networks on it, but at 2:16 in, you will see a sight I enjoyed every day at the Chicken Noodle Network (oh, by the way Hi Rock and Gene!), that of Lou Watters making his daily contribution to the destruction of the ozone layer. Enjoy...

These reels have the control room track on them, so I can reminisce about directors losing their minds and making various smart ass remarks. There's lots of this on the next clip as well as a prank call to Larry King. I used to work on that show and was able to catch a few pranksters before they got on the air (I was the only one who had really heard Howard Stern, so I was a hero!) Again, enjoy...

Aahhh, the good ol' days!

Ok, if someone can tell me why I can't type in the title field anymore, I'd be eternally grateful. So anyway, I have been busting my tush at work, slaving away at the computer for 10 hours a day, trying to get the site up and running, so that's why I've been neglectful of my beloved blogs. P. will be traveling quite a bit these next few weeks for his job, so I'm hoping to post more.

I have finally designed this year's EPCOT Wine Fest shirt (we're going the weekend of October 13th, if anyone's interested...) In keeping with my very Frampton-centric life of late, you may (or may not) appreciate this...

Front:

Back:

I'm quite proud of this year's design and can't wait for October! Join us if you can!

Memiors of an Irish Geisha, Part Two

Ok, slight delay, but it's Tokyo time! We took the bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo. It's really fast (hence the name.) We were paranoid about getting to the train (as the tickets were expensive) so we got to Kyoto station really early (I think 3 hours early.) Fortunately, there are lots of things to do at the train station. There were a bunch of shops selling anything you might need or desire: books, gifts, sundries, snacks, booze, gifts - you name it. There also were a ton of restaurants (lots of plastic food displays - they actually are downright artistic.) We actually enjoyed some snacks from the convenience store and some fine sho-chu on the train (made the trip quick and pleasant!)

We arrived at our hotel, the Dai-Ichi Annex, which was nice, if not a tad on the small side (and if you're wondering, Paul did look like Bill Murray from 'Lost in Translation"!) We went out to dinner with our friend Izumi, who worked with Paul in the states. We went to a restaurant where you cooked your food on a little grill in the middle of the table. We had great beef and some exceptional seafood pancakes - oh and chu-huis (lemon sours - my new favorite drink in the world - literally!)

The next morning we (and seemingly every schoolchild in Japan) went to the Tokyo Tower for a a panoramic view of the city. We were actually supposed to be fishing that day, but the windy weather squashed those plans. As much as I hate to admit it, we did eat at the McDonald's there (we were really hungry!) Actually, my Ebi Filet-O (shrimp burger) was really tasty, and Paul's Tamago Mac also looked good (I think there was egg on it...) We couldn't go all the way up in the tower because of the wind, but we saw a lot nonetheless. When we got back to the hotel, Paul decided to take a nap (it was his turn to be under the weather on vacation) and I took a walk. I found the Fine Food market (also attached to a train station.) Oh my God. I could live there. All kinds of delicious-looking food, seasonings, snacks, meats, seafood, produce...I feel like Homer Simpson...mmmmm...seafood....

That night (Friday) we went out with Izumi and her Canadian boyfriend Jeff. We went to a happy hour at a bar called "Gas Panic". Yes, Gas Panic. I had a cho-hui and Paul and Izumi had a concoction called a "Banana F**k." It was weird to be in a bar with Western bouncers. We then went to a really good sushi train restaurant (where the sushi drifts by on a conveyor belt, and you take what appeals to you) and I paid my respects at the (seven story!) Virgin Megastore, where I bought 3 Pink Lady CDs (Izumi called me a nerd because I'm such a fan!) After dinner we went to another bar for more sho-chu (where we discovered chestnut sho-chu - yummy!) and met some guys from Belgium. We made it an early night because paul was actually fishing the next morning.

Our last full day in Tokyo, Paul went fishing and I went sightseeing with Izumi. We first went to the Tsukiji fish market, which was awesome. They had vendors offering everything from pickled anything to the craziest seafood I've ever seen, as well as expensive knives and cookware and beautiful produce. We ate at the most famous restaurant there, Daiwa - a 15-seater that we had to wait an hour and 15 minutes for. But, I have never had fresher, more delicious sushi in my life. My mouth's watering just thinking about it! We then went to a touristy area to buy shoes and sho-chu and do some people-watching. I also taught Izumi how to pray at the temple there (imagine that!) I couldn't leave without visiting Harajuku (thanks, Gwen Stefani) and it was the Japanese version of England's Carnaby Street. The "little bo peep" look is everywhere and so is the goth look. I got some "Engrish" shirts there - no sheepherding for me though!

That night we went to a restaurant that featured "Akita Dining" - I was relieved that Akita is a region in Japan - not the dog. It was definitely awesome. Paul had 2 plates of beef that he cooked on a hot stone (he could cut it with a fork, he said it was the best he'd ever tasted) we had fried crabs (the whole crab, shell and all), chicken sashimi and an awesome hot pot (need I mention the lemon sours?) They had these traditional Japanese gods wandering through the restaurant and scaring the patrons - which I thought was really funny. We then headed the the Geronimo Shot Bar. You can see the trouble a brewin' - can't you? Paul was on a mission - if you do 15 shots there (in one night) you get a plaque on the wall and a t-shirt. Needless to say, there is a plaque on the wall now that says "Homer Trump - Eric Choi is a Buttwipe!" I'm so proud. We went to another bar called Wall Street or something like that. We had a LOT of fun!

The next morning we met up with Taka (another of Paul's former co-workers) for more sushi train and a little snack shopping. We then headed to the airport and (reluctantly) headed home. We'll be back!

Memoirs of an Irish Geisha

At long last - my Japan diaries! I figure I'd just transcribe my Ambien and sho-chu fueled journals I kept while I was away, with additional comments and stories sprinkled in along the way. So strap in kids, here we go!

May 6: To Japan! Thought since I'm waiting for the Ambien to kick in (on the plane) I'd do a little writing. Gee, the pen feels weird...(editorial note: I love Ambien!) Today (Sunday) we flew out of P.B.I. I had a damn good breakfast (crab omelet) at Sam Sneads. We had an uneventful flight to Dallas - we actually sat to the most well-behaved kids ever (of course, they were NOT American) and had a belated Cinco de Mayo celebration in a Dallas Airport eatery (what a nice airport!)- pretty decent burritos and sangria margaritas. We have about 7 hours to go. We're currently over Anchorage. The flight has been a bit bumpy. Watched an old episode of "The Office" and "Music and Lyrics" on the cool back-of-the-seat monitor, as well as an interesting Japanese television show about how foreigners (a British gal, Canadian guy, Italian and French ladies and a guy from Ghana) perceive Japanese food. (Later) We've been on the plane a long time but it's not so bad - we had hot towels (Hi Mom!) and they added a piece of sushi to the traditional "chicken or beef" airplane meal. (Then there are some scribblings about Peter Frampton which really have no relevance in a travel post, so I'll move on.)


May 10: I'm writing this on the bullet train (Shinkansen) on the way from Kyoto to Tokyo. We have had so much fun - Monday night we arrived in Kyoto after landing at one airpirt in Tokyo and taking a taxi across town to the other one. We had minutes to spare to catch our flight, but we (and our bags) miraculously made it (never would have happened in the states.) The first night we stayed at the Granvia, which was lovely. We had a traditional Japanese dinner. Courses and courses of food (it was the culinary equivalent of that part of "Fantasia" with Mickey Mouse and the mops that never stopped hauling water into the building.) I think we had 10 courses. I knew the meal was over when they brought out fruit. I didn't recognize much, but it was all quite good. I was so happy to see Paul eat tofu! (I then gave up on this journal entry, as I had a little too much sho-chu!)

May 11: Take two. Yesterday's entry was a little too sho-chu influenced to be comprehensible. So anywhoo, our first full day was spent with Taka's (Paul's associate from his former workplace, who moved back to Japan) father's friend, Mr. Maeda, who was incredibly nice. He took us to various temples and shrines. We started with Kiyomizo Temple - a nominee for one of the seven modern wonders of the world. Very cool. There we went into this dark cavern which was supposed to represent the womb of a goddess, where we made a wish and rotated a large stone with some sort of Kanji written on it. It was so cool. I got to go to the most famous hot pepper store in all of Kyoto (so of course, I stocked up!) We went for lunch to what in the states would be referred to as a "hole in the wall" for lunch and had delicious udon noodles and rice bowls (my new favorite Japanese food - it's a triangle of rice wrapped in seaweed with some sort of filling - I loved the ones with the salmon flakes in them. These rice bowls became a "must snack" for the rest of the trip as they were available in the convenience stores (of which there are a bunch - 7-11s and Circle Ks.) Maeda had a meeting later that afternoon, so he set us up with an English-speaking taxi driver/guide named Kimi-san. He took us everywhere, including the famous Golden Pavillion. He also taught us how to pray at the temples. You bow twice, clap twice, pray and then bow. We also saw a zen garden, bamboo forest and lots of shrines and temples. Paul got "shrined out" so we went back to our traditional-style Japanese hotel (Ryokan). This place was awesome. The room was sparsely furnished - only 2 low tables and chairs (no beds.) The floor was tatami mats and you had to remove your shoes before you entered. They had traditional Japanese attire to wear, which on the first night we wore to dinner. Paul mistakenly put on the ladies' version (I couldn't tel the difference.) One of the ladies that work at the hotel, the Japanese Judge Judy, helped Paul out. All of the ladies that worked at the hotel were multi-functional - they were bellhops, maids, and restaurant hostesses. They also didn't speak a word of English, but talked a mile a minute anyway. We had another excellent traditional meal and some yummy sho-chu. Despite the fact that we were at a traditional inn, there was a TV in the room. I love Japanese TV. Lots of chat and panel shows and bizarre commercials. While we were at dinner, Japanese Judge Judy and the gals put our futons out to sleep on. The first night we also had a (much needed) massage.



The next morning, we went out with Mrs. Maeda and her neighbor Yuko (who spoke English). We went to the Imperial Palace Villa for a guided tour. There was some confusion early on, as Japanese citizens can't just walk in - they have to get permission well in advance or be a tour guide. We tried to sneak both ladies in with us, but we got caught. So Yuko came with us (she was very excited, as she had never been there before herself.) We (for once) were the ones on the tour with the translator players (how weird) and slowly made our way around the beautiful grounds (they've got lots of "cotton tops" in Japan too!) We had a delicious lunch (the biggest shrimp I've ever seen) and as we were dining, Mrs. Maeda and Yuko had something up their sleeve. They took us to Gion, the geisha district, where I got the "Maiko Experience" (a maiko is an apprentice geisha). I got dressed up in full geisha gear (it took over an hour) and took photos. The nice people even let me go out in the street for more photos - where I was photographed with some Japanese schoolgirls and some other Kyoto visitors. It was such a blast and a truly unforgettable experience. We went back to have more mystery food; and Mr. Maeda picked us up and took us to the Kyoto Cultural Center where we saw a bunch of things - a tea ceremony (which we were the "audience participants" for), flower arranging, geisha dancing, chamber music, a short Noh play and Bunraku (the cool puppets - definitely my favorite part of the show). We then headed to the Ponto-cho district - lots of geisha (and regular) bars. We had a blast. Tokyo is next, and frankly, I've typed enough today, so look for Part 2 of the Japanese adventure soon!

Warm up, Kathy!

Another one for you (and me, of course) from America's favorite "DILF", Huey Lewis! Can't wait for Saturday!

Fear not, dear reader (aka Rose)

I don't have oodles of time, but I wanted to assure my reader that I'm still alive and plan to post pictures and stories from Japan real soon - as well as a complete update of all things me. Please visit my "Frampton for My 40th" blog for more witty scribblings from yours truly. I am going to see the man on Saturday, so hopefully I will have some other exciting news to report!

Hooooot Poooockets

I'll recap things soon, but for the moment, here's a pic of Mom and I with Jim Gaffigan (we saw him last night - he could be the funniest person alive.)