So You Wanna Be a Rock n'Roll Star...

Bow down before the one you serve....I am a rock god. Alright, so I'm actually a way-too-f'in-old video game geek posing as a rock god. But damn if it don't feel how I pictured it.

I'm talking, of course, about the ultimate Playstation 2 game, Guitar Hero 2. I discovered it yesterday...and by 10pm I was immortal. For those who haven't seen this life-altering experience yet, GH2 makes you a rock star playing lead guitar to some of the classic rock songs of all time. Using a guitar controller instead of the usual handheld, you try to keep up with the stage band by blazing your fingers up and down the fretboard while strumming along at the precise moment the actual note in the song is played. Fun? Fuckin'-A right it is!

I can seriously see this becoming an addition. The rush of receiving a standing ovation after blistering through Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" or Cheap Trick's "Surrender" is a feeling this musically-inept air guitar hero has long dreamed of. It's easy enough at the early stages to raise the adrenaline of even the most novice gamer. At the harder levels, of which I'm nowhere near good enough to complete, it gets downright frantic. But the fun is in the practice. And you won't sleep until the crowd tells you that you can. Trust me on this one. Sleep is for the weak. You'll wanna rock and roll all night, and party every day.

Do yourself a favor...pick this thing up, strap on that cherry Gibson SG gee-tar, and rock, rock, til ya drop. Me? I gotta go... I've got groupies waiting.

Turkey, Trimmings & the Giving of Thanks

Well, we all survived. Correction, the turkey did not. Thanksgiving break has come and gone and ya know what? It was really good. Nana & Papa came in from Cali and I think were stunned by the growth of the boy both physically and mentally. They really bonded with him this trip and it was great to witness. Great is actually a bit of an understatement. Grandparents are such a key component in a child's life and it is terrific to watch the relationship building there.

Thanksgiving dinner went well except for the dry-ass bird I cooked. I know, I know, let it go Scott. If only I could have pulled it out 10 degrees sooner...

Sandy baked her amazing pies. At least I guess her pumpkin pie was amazing becuase as long as there is pecan pie in the house...that's the end of my eatin'.

All in all, a lot of fun. Not the most relaxing but hey, what can you do. Definitely made me feel grateful for what I have and who I have. And that my friends, is what it's all about. Not the Hokey Pokey, as previously belived.

Sunday Matinee - Over The Hedge

Another great Sunday Matinee at the Wayne Manor Cinema...this weekend it was Dreamworks' Over The Hedge, a highly entertaining romp for kids and adults of all ages. Dreamworks is the company that created Shrek, and Over The Hedge was released theatrically this past May and did well at the box office.

The plot centers around a street-savvy racoon named RJ (played by Bruce Willis) who finds himself with a one-week deadline to replace a load of pilfered bear goodies that he swiped. RJ infiltrates a naive group of woodland creatures in an attempt to get them to help steal replacement food from the suburbanites that dwell "over the hedge". I guess that's where they got the name.

Casting is terrific, with Willis, Verne the apprehensive turtle voiced by Garry Shandling, Hammy the hyperactive squirrel played by Steve Carrell (of The Office fame), and Wanda Sykes as Stella, the skunk turned cat temptress. Nick Nolte plays Vincent, the grumpy bear who is none too pleased to be awakened early from winter slumber only to find RJ making off with his cave full o' snacks. Nolte's Vincent is "not nice", according to my son. On reflection, Nolte is the perfect casting for this role. Who better to play the role of a surly bear than this guy...
The animation is very polished, reminiscent of "Shrek-style" graphics (as opposed to "Pixar-style"). The action is non-stop and there are entertaining moments for viewers of all ages. Additional voicing is provided by Avril Lavigne, the always funny Eugene Levy, Thomas Haden Church (the janitor guy from Wings), William Shatner and Allison Janney from The West Wing.

The boy was riveted to the screen the whole time. Not a peep except for a couple of screams when the bear was chasing RJ. Who could blame him? Take another look at that Nolte mugshot. Scary.

Since a Sunday Matinee can only be as enjoyable as the boy allows it to be....we've added a new rating scale to our weekly critiques...The Fidget Factor. The Fidget Factor measures, well, the level of fidgetiness (fidgetoscity?) of our two-year old during the viewing. A fidgety boy can make even the best movie grueling.

In sum, Over The Hedge exceeded my expectations and proved to be a very enjoyable 83-minute Sunday diversion. Rated PG for some rude humor and minor cartoon violence.

MTV Here We Come!

You know those moments in life when you realize you're finally starting to "make it"? This is one of 'em. My company Images in Chocolate produced custom chocolate coins a couple of months back for a rapper named Smooth-E. The coins feature his face on one side and his Smooth-E logo on the back. Well, without further ado.