| How to get into the Bee |
[02 Jun 2006|03:06pm] |
As luck would have it I had to travel to Washington DC for meetings this week. Last night, I had just finished a business reception and am sitting in my stylish grey suit in a hotel room, mesmerized by the children competing in the spelling bee. Then it strikes me, this is happening live at the Hyatt. There's nine contestant left, I figure what the heck, let's see if I can get in. It's a short cab ride and I figure it's time to go to work. I don't have a pass and I don't know the drill, but I'm walking like I mean it and I'm dressed to kill.
Course, that ends quick.
The escalator down to the ball room is manned by security. The answer - No Dice. Damn. "Go to check in to get a pass sir." The check in is for media. I got no credentials, but I I can throw some charm at them. Not a chance, it's only open to contestants, immediate family and media. I tossed out this, I tossed out that, the answer was a flat No - This is a highly secure area. Still, they were nice and gave me a media guide with all the bios and history of the competition. So that's cool.
Two strikes and I'm out. Not in this baseball game. I am a sickeningly persistent fella. I recalled years back I stayed in this hotel. If I remember correctly there's a service elevator inside the business service area that will get you to the ball room. How I remember this I can't explain, but sure enough it's there tucked away where nobody would see it. I press the down button, door opens and I'm on my way down to the ball room. Yee haw. Door opens, and i am met by a smiling security guard. Great. But she's nice. She want's to help me. We chat, we hit it off and she says "Why don't you go inside and enjoy the finals."
Wow, great timing, there's seven contestants left. Sweet!!!
So this was the spectacle of spectacles. 200 plus 10-14 year-olds, all eliminated earlier, were sitting in the back of the room with their parents. High achievers, all of them. I sat my slacker butt right in the middle of them all. Suddenly I was getting the play by play from Ramarao Paluri, the father of 10 year old phenom Mouctika Lakshmi Paluri and Kevin Lotharp, a 12 year old from Maryland. This is cool.
It was cool. I haven't seen any of the movies, or mnusicals that are out on the Bee right now. So as trendy as this is, it all has completely missed me. I was just looking for some entertainment. This place had it. Vendors were outside the ballroom selling hawking aids to take you to the podium in next year's event. The parents were so hyper-focused it was like a little league parent times a thousand. This is what they do. The kids on the stage at the end had all been there before. The winner, this was her fifth trip. There's an etiquette to the culture that I was completely unfamiliar with. There's rules, stats, officials, and favorites. When it got down to three left, I think some of the kids were wagering in the back. The girl who finished second was the favorite. So the winner must have pulled in some cash. The contestants were quick to show me the ropes. Perhaps it was because I was dressed like an agent or something. But what a treat. This was quite good and I had to wake up from my deep livejournal sleep to share it with you all.
|
|
| My time in the Girl Band |
[21 Sep 2005|03:45pm] |
Good times last Friday. I joined local super group 'Girls on Film' at FSU's Club Downunder for their record release party. I played percussion on the record and was a minor utility player on the stage. The record release was huge fun and I really liked being involved in the event. Mostly because I had the opportunity to sport Kim Round's super badass Black Light suit, which was created over 10 years ago. The outfit got rave reviews. The girls from the band, they loved it too. They were very cool, very thoughtful people. Here's two fun pictures from the show:
Rockin' hard core
|
|
| Crash! |
[06 Jun 2005|03:00pm] |
|
Holy Crap. I went to see this movie over the weekend and was blown away. There was a bundle of tension and so much that was unresolved. Great writing, amazing characters and a super soundtrack. This average guy gives it two thumbs up.
|
|
| Trading in lighters for cell phones |
[03 Jun 2005|04:50pm] |
|
I haven't been to a stadium concert in quite some time, but hear from the kids that the new hip thing during ballads is to open up your cell phone, light it up and wave it around. I haven't participated in a ritual of this sort, but something tells me this is lame. The weird thing is that every time I ask someone how the overblown rock show was, they say the coolest part was when the house lights wre dropped and everyone pulled out their cell phones. Puh-leese
|
|
| X and Y |
[03 Jun 2005|02:39pm] |
|
Uh oh, I like this new Coldplay record. I may end up looking like Mr. Trendy.
|
|
| US Pro Championships |
[01 Jun 2005|09:28am] |
|
If you are anywhere near Philadelphia this weekend you should definitely go to the US Pro Championships. Get on the Manayunk wall, drink beer, and watch the cyclist suffer. It'll be a blast. I promise. It's a total spectacle and a heck of a lot of fun.
|
|
| Songs for Silverman |
[01 Jun 2005|09:15am] |
|
The new Ben record is instantly likable. Though I can't decide if I should be offended that he is now creating music for the 40 something, pop music lover demographic? Of course, I are one. I can't imagine the kids really wrapping their arms around this record. I will. I eat this stuff up. He's got my number.
|
|
| Dad gummit |
[27 Aug 2004|03:17pm] |
|
It's been two weeks now that I've been babying a broken collarbone. I'm totally tired of this crap. This cold Bass Ale needs to kick in and give me some relief.
|
|
| Jay Farrar in Tallahassee |
[03 Aug 2004|09:05am] |
Wow - Jay Farrar put on a wonderful show last night. Karen and I don't get out for the live music too often anymore but we sure were happy to attend this deal.
The first thought I had when Jay Farrar started singing was - "Oh my God, he sounds just like himself." Yeah, I know, of course he does. But that was my first thought.
My second thought was, "I wonder if he is as sad as he sounds." My wife says no way, but the guy has the melancholy thing down.
So Jay Farrar was joined by a guitarist - I think his name was Brandon Butler (no relation). He was totally sporting the 'I'm the guy who stocks the vending machines' look. His playing was fantastic. Wonderful, wonderful stuff.
|
|
| Breakfast at Tally's Grill |
[09 Mar 2004|02:44pm] |
|
The last time I met with my pal Giles in Tallahassee we had breakfast at Tally's Grille. Yesterday, a bunch of us Tallahassee folks wet our pants when a drifter sliced a man's throat in the restroom at Tally's. All the details are here. Helicopters and police cars are searching for a drifter with a knife and a bad attitude.
|
|
| Keeping up with the Country Bears |
[20 Jan 2004|07:44pm] |
|
VH1 has a new show called Bands Reunited and it looks like it's going to be a hit. I'm sure I'll be referring to this as my new guilty pleasure. I watched the Berlin episode and was totally enjoying it. Then I recalled Fred Bedderhead in the Country Bears movie saying "Get the band back together, it'll never happen." I'm wondering if this helped inspire the whole bands reunited gig. I got Romeo Void Tivo'd so I'll be dialed back in tonight. "Girl in trouble it's a temporary thing..."
|
|
| Holy Buckets |
[09 Jan 2004|10:20am] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 uncomfortable |
] |
| [ |
music |
| |
mono - westerberg |
] |
I've got a wax buildup in my left ear and I'm completely deaf on that side of my head.
My balance is off, I want to vomit. Nothing is in stereo. Please, please, please stop....this wax removal stuff doesn't work fast enough.
|
|
| A sweet new ride |
[07 Jan 2004|09:15am] |
Introducing my new bicycle.
It's the Litespeed Siena, with the new Dura-Ace 10 component set. I'm giddy with joy.
|
|
| More than I bargained for |
[09 Dec 2003|05:25pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Travis "Memories" |
] |
I went to visit the Death Clock today and it tells me I will live until January 26, 2060.
That's the ripe old age of 96.
Yikes
|
|
| Soldiers get married at Wal-mart |
[08 Dec 2003|02:31pm] |
| [ |
music |
| |
Joe Pernice - "Bum Leg" |
] |
I should have done it this way. Course, I would do it at K-Mart under a flashing blue light.
"Attention K-Mart shoppers, please join us at the flashing blue beacon of bargains."
-----------------------------
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa - A pair of National Guard soldiers were married among the plastic smiling snowmen, lighted reindeer and holiday poinsettias of the Wal-Mart store where they worked, met and fell in love.
Brett Hamilton and Erin Sapp were married last week after the bride-to-be received orders signaling a likely deployment to the Middle East.
``This wasn't what we would have wanted for them,'' said Sapp's mother, Sheila. ``But I told them we'd support them any way we can.''
More here
|
|
| Things I've learned |
[08 Dec 2003|10:28am] |
| [ |
music |
| |
You Were Right - Built to Spill |
] |
The real trick to getting a close leg shave is to do it in the bath tub. It's an old trick and a fabulous tip for people who want a super close shave.
|
|
| Gigantic Idea |
[12 Nov 2003|04:32pm] |
|
In a random office discussion this week we started kicking around the idea of opening a restaurant called "Marfans Diner" where everything would be larger than average. One person suggested that you could offer foot and half long hotdogs, another requested the brontosaurus burgers Fred and Barney used to order. It would all be served on huge plates, and you'd sit in a huge booth. It was a heck of a lot of fun, but I doubt it would go over well with anyone suffering from Marfan syndrome. I'm realizing that I have had a recent trend of offending or exploiting others with my business plans.
|
|
| Alan Jackson |
[29 Oct 2003|08:31pm] |
|
I'm supposed to accompany a client to the Alan Jackson show soon. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't a clue who he is or what he sings. I'm told he's loved because he wrote a song about 9/11. Honest, I'm getting nervous.
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
triflecta's journal