TV or movies

Mommy Bloggers do it on national tv

Mommy Bloggers do it on national tv

Before Christmas I wrote an entry that I stored in my drafts folder and forgot about it.  With everything that was going on, it was the last thing on my mind.  Well, long story short, I had a phone call today with a producer that reminded me about this post.  I thought now might be a good time to whip this baby out.

So, here I sit.  I am trying to look intelligent like I have something really important to say and that the typing I am doing is a matter of NATIONAL SECURITY.  But in fact, all I can think about is “I have nothing to say I have nothing to say holy shit I have nothing to say” Why do I care?  Well, because breathing down my neck is a camera crew filming my every word.  Yes, a camera crew.  As in for the news.  I wonder what they will record if I start typing every profanity known to man?  Probably cut me from the piece, I imagine.

Here’s the deal.  The camera crew is here to do a story on how blogging has gone mainstream.  I am one of the lucky ones they are interviewing.  But I am nervous that I am going to come off sounding like Forrest Gump on a bad day. I mean this is my first on camera interview.  And the story is a national story.  NATIONAL as in….you might see it.  It will air nationally on local news programs all over the country. 

Oh for the love of hot lights, sweaty pits and freaking out don’t they have enough footage yet?  Yep.  I am sure none of this will go on.  Okay, this part is crap.  I better just go write a real entry about my KIDS or something since I am the MOMMY BLOGGER section of this story.  But really, you can hear my heart racing through the screen, can’t you?

That was what I had saved in my draft.  I talked to the producer today and she asked me if I saw the piece. 

Uhhhh, no. 

With everything that was going on with Mom, I never followed up on when it would air etc.  So, I missed it.  Only I could miss a story that went out to stations nationwide and have no clue it did so!  BUT, I have found it in the archives of one of the local stations in Philadelphia.  (Go Philly! Way to churn out those old archives!  Still hunting down the other ones, but am too tickled pink to work too hard on that one yet.) Turns out they changed the whole angle of the story.  It went from all about blogging and a small section about mommy blogging, to all about my blog and mommy blogging. 

[I will pause now while I freak the hell out and vomit a little bit.]

Okay, I am back.

I added a few screen captures.  I was so damn nervous I managed to get absolutely NO pictures of the cameras etc.  I didn’t even get one of me when I threw up into the camera bag with all of the expensive equipment.  Okay, that part didn’t happen.  But it might have.

image

Editor’s note:  I have been requested to post the link to the story.  Here is one of the one’s that aired. (It is the third story down on the left hand side of the page.) Can you tell I wanted to vomit?

…

Read More Read More

I feel a great disturbance in the Force

I feel a great disturbance in the Force

I have a confession to make.  Even though I am in my mid-thirties and even though I grew up in the age of Star Wars and even though I can make Star Wars references and quote the most famous lines (Luke, I am your father.  May the force be with you.  I feel a great disturbance in the force.), until a couple of weeks ago I had never seen a Star Wars movie.  Ever.  At least not completely.  I would have to live under a rock to not see at least a moment or two or ten thousand in my lifetime.

At the very tender age of young, I planned to go to Star Wars with my friends.  It would be a big deal to go with just my friends.  There we were at the movie theater ready to see it.  We were early, but opened the door to the theater anyway.  “What did you see?” you might ask yourself.  I’ll tell you.  I saw STORM TROOPERS. 

HUGE GUYS WITH BIG GUNS.  RUNNING. SHOOTING.  AT ME!

Let me just say, it scared the ever loving bejeezus out of me.  We chose (or rather I insisted) that we see a different movie.  ANYTHING but the STORM TROOPERS.  That night and many, many, many nights following, I had nightmares about those damn Storm Troopers.  Never, ever about Darth Vader.  He didn’t scare me in the least.  I mean, come on!  With James Earl Jones doing the voice?  Who could be scared of him?  I mean, we all know people watch CNN for a reason.  It is the amazing “This is CNN” voiced by Mr. Vader.

I would love to tell you that as I aged, I grew out of it.  Nuh-uh.  Nope.  In fact, just a couple of months ago Brandon and Clint were watching Star Wars on TV when I walked by and saw STORM TROOPERS!  I raced off to do laundry or something, anything, in a different part of the house.  You know what? I had a nightmare that night.  No kidding.

My kids know this about me.  They roll their eyes and accept it.  But barely.  They prefer I not tell anyone this horrific factoid, but I still do.  I was telling a friend of Zarek’s that I had never seen the movies.  He was extremely appalled at me. 

I explained, “You see, I saw the first one and it scared me, so I just don’t watch them.”

“You mean Episode I or Episode IV?” he asked.

“Uhhh, the first one.  The one that came out in the 70’s.”

“That is Episode IV, actually, not the first one.  Episode I is really the first in the series, but Episode IV was released first.” He saw that my eyes were glazing over.

“So, the first one is the fourth one and the fourth one is the first one so the numbers tell you the order of the story, but not the order in which it came out.  Right?  So, do you watch it from I-VI or do you watch it IV-VI and then I-III?  What is the proper Star Wars etiquette here?” I questioned.

He just looked at me as if I sprouted another head, then ran off to find Zarek.  (I never got my answer, by the way.)

BUT (you knew there would be a ‘but’, right?) I now have two boys who are very into the whole Star Wars thing.  They love it.  We own all of the movies that are out on DVD.  Now, since Episode III (*which is really VI, but we are all pretending to be ignorant of this) came out in theaters, the guys in my family decided a Star Wars marathon was in order. 

I decided to give it a try.  I can do this.  I can watch Star Wars. I am, after all, an adult.  I have seen worse in my lifetime than a STORM TROOPER!  I mean, they miss their shots the majority of the time anyway.

So we watched.  We started with the original (you figure out the number).  I watched through my fingers when the STORM TROOPERS came on.  My stomach knotted.  My butt clenched.  My hands sweat.  They still had that effect of me.  BUT I WATCHED THE ENTIRE THING.  In fact, I have seen every episode except the one in theaters now.  (Please tell me you are proud.  It was not easy!) I even have plans to see that one in a real live theater.  (Even though I hear it is more violent.) I just might even get myself a nifty little light-saber.  I am so going to be tre’chic in my Princess Leia gold bikini next summer!

Next up:  Conquering my fear of OompaLoompahs and Sock Monkeys.

…

Read More Read More

Does anyone actually watch er anymore? Anyone?

Does anyone actually watch er anymore? Anyone?

This entry is nothing more than a selfish plea for my own peace of mind to anyone who actually saw er tonight. Everyone else, just check out the next entry. This one will bore you to tears. (And probably make me look pretty darn pathetic for actually putting this out there.)

If this doesn’t involve you, just move along. There is nothing to see here.
…

Read More Read More

Ahhh, the good old days

Ahhh, the good old days

You know what I miss? I miss the ABC Afterschool Special. Don’t you look at me like that. If you are of my generation, you watched it. You may not admit it, but you did. (Yes, you did! Quit arguing.)

I mean, where else could you find a teen drama that dealt with everything from racism to teen pregnancy to blending families and confused sexuality? Of course, it always offered the feel good advice that made it all better in the end. All questions were answered and everything was A-Okay by the time the credits rolled. (Let’s face it, this was probably the springboard for Lifetime Television movies. Right? Think about it. Generation X just got older and moved towards a more adult “afterschool special.”)

Even now, you can find references to these “specials” in movies and tv shows. Usually not in a positive way, though. (“Oh, please, this isn’t an afterschool special. Do we need the touchy feely talk?”)

The other day Kidlet Sr. asked me (upon hearing such a reference), “Mom, what is an ABC Afterschool Special?”

*shock*

No child should grow up without rolling his eyes when that familiar “Regularly scheduled programming will not be seen at this time so that we may bring you this ABC Afterschool special” followed by that super cheesy 70’s music. Outwardly you groaned, but inwardly you were glad (and secretly watch it anyway). What has happened to this world? See, this is why our country is messed up. We stopped airing the Afterschool Special. Bring those bad boys back and we will have world peace in under an hour.

What was your favorite episode? (And don’t say you don’t know what I am talking about if you are within 10 years of my age, you know.)
…

Read More Read More