CRG joined me this morning on an assignment covering the opening of a traveling September 11 exhibit. He recorded audio for a slideshow that you can see here.
It includes a local bagpiper (that dude is EVERYWHERE) and two girls singing "I'm Proud To Be An American." The song isn't the best performance you'll ever hear, but as CRG points out, it's better than listening to Lee Greenwood. The girls didn't know all of the words and one of them sang "where at least they know my name" instead of "where at least they know I'm free." I don't know how she got so confused because she seems too young to be a fan of Cheers.
I woke up this morning excited as always because that's when I get to drink COFFEE. I turned on Mr. Coffee and nothing happened. No red light. No gurgling noises. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Poor thing has left us and is now in the great grounds in the sky. Below is his obit.
WICHITA - Coffee, Mr., 10, passed away, at breakfast on Sunday, October 28, 2007. Burial followed immediately at the family's trash bin. Mr. Coffee was born in China in 1997. He brought joy and excitement to his family at least once a day. He was always strong and never complained, however, at times he was bitter (not his fault). He recently played a starring role in an independent film called "Coffee Cadence." He is survived by millions of siblings and one daughter, a French press of Wichita. In lieu of flowers, please send Starbucks gift cards. To share a memory or leave an online condolence please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG5snN5OlcI
We made this short video yesterday morning. The funny thing is that we actually had to make our coffee before we could create a video about making coffee. We just could not function without it. What? Us? We have no problem. I sware.
Check out my friend Carla’s blog here. Her site meter recently hit 10k and to celebrate she’s asked her readers to send in photos of us stalking her blog. We’ve been friends since college and she now lives in her hometown of Hartford, Conn.
Carla is a Wonder Woman (she even has two tattoos in homage to the other Jaime). She’s an incredible person, fantastic photographer and proud mama of two adorable monkeys. Her blog includes it all.
She went to my father’s funeral with me two years ago in Long Island, New York and I always giggle when I think about that day. I know it seems strange to laugh about death but it truly helped me at the time. A week before the funeral Rabbi Lawrence Shuval asked me if I wanted what he called “a mound of earth” at the gravesite so we could each take our turn and cover the casket. I said no to the mound. He also asked if I wanted to identify the body and I said no to that, too.
Carla and I get there and someone who is not a rabbi (he actually looked like the devil smoling in the cab of a hearse and sporting a satin Yankees jacket with a matching cap) opens the casket and asks me to identify the body. I start to bawl and Carla jumped forward and said, “Yep, that’s him.” She had never laid eyes on my dad before that day.
We got to the gravesite and a mound was waiting for us. I turned to the funeral director and said, “I didn’t want a mound of earth” and I bawled some more. Carla stepped in the middle of us and looked like she was about to start swinging, “she DIDN’T want the mound.” I said it was OK and I’m glad I did. What I didn’t know is that it’s a Jewish tradition to toss dirt on the casket and all of my relatives would’ve been dissappointed.
Carla shooting a self-portrait at her wedding with our friend Mary (who still looks great). Connecticut, 1999.
Carla's youngest monkey, Georgie. Poor thing had bonked her face. Upstate New York, 2006.
Me shoveling the "mound of earth." New York, 2006.
Hamming it up with the bride and groom at a wedding we shot together. Mexico, 2006.
And finally, beer for breakfast (it's the Central American way). Costa Rica, 2007.
My friend Ted has a sick sense of humor (if you've ever been to Gridiron, you already know this). He recently sent me a Halloween greeting that's pretty darn funny. Click here and don't forget to press stomp.
My aunt Sherry is a singer, songwriter, actress, oh, and she also happens to be a private investigator. She works for Sherlock Investigations in NYC and prior to that did a couple of gigs as a "Foxy Private Eye" on the Ricki Lake show (you can't make that up).
Her firm is featured on the cover of New York magazine in a feature story about D.B. Cooper, the notorious skyjacker who jumped out of a 727. They might have cracked a huge case that has remained unsolved since 1971.
It was two years ago today when my friends Carrie and Joe were married on the lawn at Bartlett Arboretum. It was a gorgeous wedding and a raucous party. I dipped into ye old archive to celebrate the occasion.
Joe got down on his knees on Thursday, Oct. 20 at "The Studio" to do what he called "unfinished business" and two days later they were married. Those two move quickly!
Here's a photo of Lori and Dale at the reception. I couldn't find them in the wedding photo. (Lori, sorry but I couldn't resist.)
I also found this historical photo of me on percussion. That was the very first time on the throne behind a drum kit. I'm sure you'll see this picture again on VH-1 in the future.
It's been a very ROCKous weekend. Carter and the Yo-Yos played late Friday night at The Shadow. They were back at it again a few hours later doing a pseudo-lounge "family-friendly" version of their stuff for a party in Wellington (a little too early for the real rock).
Carter wowed the Shadow crowd when he walked on stage in a Jedi costume twirling his Stratocaster. Even though he looked great and the Yo-Yos sounded great, another man dressed in a funky outfit stole the spotlight (well, for a minute or so). That man was a dancing cowboy who gyrated all night with his funky moves and flashy lights beaming from his shirt. Does anyone know this dude? Do tell.
Here's a video showing a Jedi and a cowboy. You see, we can all get along.
Carter's band, the Smuggling Yo-Yos, will perform tomorrow (Friday) night at the Shadow at 9 p.m. The band plays covers from the past two decades. Anyone born after 1970 should be able to sing along. The band has worked up a few new tunes, including a rap song feature MC Nick (he raps caucasianionally).
I reached into the Scruffins archive and found a gem that includes half of the Yo-Yos. It's footage from a Greenjeans Studios party in January.
I share a love of the color pink with my 2-year-old friend Lexi Lou. She's able to rock that color much better than I am with her pink Chucks. I know they make them in adult sizes but I'm certain they'd look like two horizontal bottles of Pepto on my feet. Oh well.
I'm also envious of Lexi's mean party blower skills. Ska might return when she's a teen and she could become the leader of "The Pink Punks." Maybe they'll need a drummer. Hmm.
I took this photo (or rather a series of photos that I combined using a program called Photo Stitch) on Friday afternoon. It's a little crooked because my head was still spinning after a hydroplaning incident that occured minutes before on the Kansas Turnpike. CRG handled it like a pro and we were all just fine. He's a truck driver's son and that man knows how to control a vehicle better than anyone I know, with the exception of his dad, CRG Senior.
The rainbow was a peaceful reminder that "it's all good" (thanks to my friend Sierra Scott for coining that phrase).
This is a song I recorded at Carter's grandmother's funeral a few months ago. (Yes, Scruffins Multimedia does weddings, funerals and bar mitzvahs.) It's performed by Carter's Uncle Don and you can't help but smile.
I spent Saturday being trampled, licked and drooled upon. The most amazing thing is that I still had fun. CRG and I got up in the dark and trekked on down to Sedgwick County Park to set up my makeshift photography studio for Woofstock. The event is a fund-raiser for the Kansas Humane Society and the money we raise with the sale of the photographs will go to a needy cats and dogs (and a few Guinea pigs).
It was the craziest thing I've ever seen. The line didn't stop for more than four hours. What's even more amazing is that I didn't go to the bathroom once! Although, lots of dogs did and I stepped in some doo doo on my way out the door door. I shot 1,600 frames and below is a slideshow of a few of my favorites.
Special thanks to all of my trusty assistants, including PowerBloggers Lori L. and Lori B.
I remodeled my bathroom in January and the walls are still bare. I recently took this picture and I'm thinking about hanging it over the loo. Whaddya think?
Scruffins Multimedia Lab has been smelling like cumin, tumeric and coriander lately. We've been doing a lot of Indian cooking. This recipe comes from the mother of Carter's best bro, Aditya.
Of course, dinner isn't complete without an accompanying song. Press play on the video before you serve this meal.
Mama Rao's Chicken Curry
LARGE BATCH: Serves 4-6
Prep:
Dice 2 large onions Dice 4 large or 5 medium tomatoes (or open 2 cans diced tomatoes) Cut 1 pkg chicken breasts or tenderloins into bite-sized pieces. Mince a small amount of fresh ginger, approx ½ tsp. (can be frozen)
Add diced tomatoes and ¼ cup water. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce to very low heat. Cover partially & simmer for a minimum of 45 minutes. Verify that the chicken is done all the way through.
For a bit of decadence if desired, stir in a small quantity of half & half right before serving.
Serve over cooked white rice, or with pan-warmed Nan (traditional Indian flatbread)
If halving the recipe to serve 2, halve everything BUT the spices.
This is Gizmo. She's a sweet 3-month-old pug I met yesterday. She was sporting a gorgeous haute couture black bow that was neatly tied around her furry fawn waist.
That's him clowning around with my Zoom recorder.
He looks a tad more professional in this shot.
